Reality of Dreams
by nicoltyler
Summary: Bill and Ralph find out that dreams can become reality, which could have tragic results if they can't stop the course of events in time.
1. Chapter 1

Authors note:

I don't own any of the characters, I am just taking them out to play. Bwahahahah. Also of note My story takes place after the series ended (much later)

* * *

Chapter 1

Wiping the back of his hand across his forehead, Bill Maxwell leaned against the wall, and closed his eyes picturing the hallway he just ducked out of barley avoiding several bullets. It was a Long hallway about 10 feet by 6 feet crossed at the end by another hallway. One door maybe two.

"I really hate this stuff," he grumbled as another bullet ricocheted off the wall just above his head. He returned fire using the last of the cartridge, then pulled the empty case out replacing it with a new one as he heard the gun man retreating.

He brought the gun up and tried to relieve some of the tension out of his shoulders. This whole scenario had gone out the window the minute they entered this mad house. First they got separated in the initial gun battle. And second he couldn't figure out where Ralph was. It should have been easy to find him, and that had Bill worried, not knowing where Ralph was even if his best friend and partner had the suit on. Maily because even with the suit he had some vulnerabilities.

"_This cat and mouse game really stinks,"_ he thought as he quickly looked around the corner, no one was there. "_Really stinks, shooting blindly in a direction, especially when he didn't know who was in that direction"._ But it's what he had to do, If he came around a corner and hesitated he would be killed, but he also knew a shot aimed a little high… He shook the thought away. "Wasn't going to happen, Maxwell," he whispered " ya gotta stay focused here, the kid can take care of himself".

Bill tried the communicator again but only received static. "Damn something must be messing with the signal" he pushed the thing back into his pocket before calling out his partners name.

When there was no response he slowly stepped out and made his way down the hallway with his back up against the wall scanning in front and behind him as he moved.

"Ralph" He whispered harshly as he approached one of the doorways. A bullet from inside the room was his response. "This is getting old real fast." He grumbled before stepping into room and firing at the source of the bullet. Instead of hitting a person though Bill watched as an image of himself reflected in a mirror shattered into a million pieces. Movement in the hallway quickly registered that the gunman had slipped out the other doorway. Bill quickly turned back to the hall and fired missing the person as they ducked into the next hallway.

"Damn"

Nearing the end of the hallway he could hear the other person just around the corner. He checked his gun before proceding "damn only one shot. "Sloppy Maxwell real sloppy" he cocked his gun then taking a breath turned the corner took aim and fired. The bullet hit his target dead center this time, much to Bills horror as instead of the gun man it was Ralph at the receiving end.

"No" Bill rushed over to his friend catching him before he crumpled completely to the floor. His mind was reeling as he tried to understand why the suit didn't it work. "Stay with me Ralph" he said as if the words themself could stop the blood. Franticly he tried to stop the bleeding, He didn't understand. Ralph had the suit on; the bullet should have just bounced off.

"No don't do that," Bill ordered his dying friend as Ralph started to lose conscience, he could see the pain and confusion in Ralph's eyes and it tore at him. _Not now, not this way,_ he told who ever would listen trying to hold back the wave of emotion that threatened to take over.

"You can rest when this is over kid. I promise, just don't give up...Don't… giv.." Commotion somewhere in the house stopped him. As he listened Bill could hear sirens outside. " Ralph, the Calvary is here we are going to get you out of here…Ralph?!.." The younger mans unseeing eyes stared back at him. He checked for a pulse when he found none he sat back against the wall and the world around him swirled forcing him to close his eyes as everything faded to black.

* * *

Bill was awake, despite the darkness that surrounded him, he knew that much. The pounding in his head and sore muscles from sleeping on the couch testified loud and clear that he was awake. "I really need to tell the kid to get a new couch" He groaned as he rubbed his head then stopped. _Ralph _his mind raced as he sat up quickly ignoring the pain that came with the sudden movement, the images of Ralph dead still very real. He looked around; relizing he was in Ralph's living room he let out the breath he was holding, last night filtered back to pushing his dream away. He had stayed after watching a late game with Ralph, with the councilor out of town and Ralph's car at the school it made no sense for him to go home only to turn around a few hours later to take Ralph to school the next day.

At least it did then. Now stretching the kinks out of his back it didn't seem like a very smart idea. A quick glance at his watch told him it was 5:45. He couldn't go back to sleep even if he tried, he knew that dream would be waiting for him just as it had the last few weeks. Rubbing a hand over his face Bill leaned forward on his knees. Each time he knew it was a dream, but it felt so real the whole thing…Ralph dying, the blood everything. But it was a dream… had to be, and there was no other explanation.

He looked in the direction of his partner's room. "It was a dream" he whispered to himself, not sure who he was trying to convince. It was just a dream he repeated the mantra he had become used to saying but he had to be sure. Slowly he got up from the couch and crossed the living room till he stood just outside Ralph's door which was slightly ajar. He strained to hear any movement coming from the room only relaxing when he heard Ralph's alarm go off and his friend turning it off mumbling about a few more minutes and his mom. Quickly he retreated to the hall Bathroom not wanting Ralph to know he was there.

Once there Bill turned on the faucet then watched the water as it faded and he was again standing in that hallway Ralph's eyes staring at him, cold, empty, and lifeless. They seemed to pull at him, pulling him closer, and he let himself be pulled feeling his body sink to the floor his only support was the wall. He reached out toward his friend only to let out a shout pulling it back when Ralph turned towards him.

* * *

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEE…..

"Just a few more minutes' mom" Ralph groaned as he rolled over and hit the snooze button putting an end to the annoying sound invading his sleep even if it was temporary. Movement out side his door brought him fully awake till he remembered his partner had stayed over. He listened as the bathroom door was shut and the water turned on then lay back down.

_Way too late, He stayed up way to late for a school night_. _Never again I don't care how good of a game it is, no more especially on a school night, _He told himself_. He was just getting to old for this stuff._ He laughed at that. He knew that promise would be broken many times in the future just as it had in the past 10 years. And it was worth it every time. He had to admit, it was fun just hanging out with Bill, Ray and even Tony or should he say special agent Tony Villicanna. That made him smile more, He still couldn't believe it even though both him and Bill had been there every step of the wa….

The sound of something crashing brought him out of his thoughts and to his feet and a shout sent him to the bathroom door.

"Bill" He knocked on the door getting no response he tried the handle. " Damn locked," He reached above the door jam for the key to the door but it wasn't there. "Bill, you there, the doors locked,open up" He called knocking and trying the handle again. "C'mon Bill talk to me partner" he waited for a response and was about to try to break the door down when he heard movement then the door being unlocked and opened.

"Hold your horses Ralph, geez can't a guy get some privacy."

"Bill what was all that noise"

"what noise"

"What noi… Bill it sounded like someone was being murdered in here"

"Murder, what.. whe... Bill looked back over his shoulder then cleared his throat rolled his shoulder " Oh that..um well...Well you see I saw a spider"

"A spider"

"Yeah Ralph a spider…a really big one too" Bill held up his hands as if to show how big "this spider really was really bi…and I must have spilled some water on the floor, because when I saw it I jumped and slipped that's all" Bill stepped out of the way in to the hall so Ralph could have a better look.

Ralph shook his head at the water on the floor but that wasn't what bothered him. What bothered him was Bill lying to him. He could always tell when his friend wasn't telling the whole truth and after ten years of running scenarios and such he could read his friend pretty good despite the tuff guy image he paraded in front of the rest of the world. Something had scared him and whatever it was it scared him bad and it wasn't a spider.

"You saw a spider and slipped"

"That's what I said what you a parrot now repeating everything I say"

"Bill I.." He ran his hand through his hair and let out a sigh dropping the subject, he had to let Bill tell him in his own time what was bothering him. "ok a spider" he finished stepping into the bathroom and strted to close the door but Bill was still standing in the way staring at nothing "um Bill," he waved his hand in front of the older mans face trying to get his attention " You sure your ok"

" Uh… yeah I'm fine like I said I saw a spider and…."

"Ok Ok I get the point, But I need you to either come in or leave. And I prefer the later.." he paused waiting for Bill to step out of the way " so I can get ready for school"

"Oh" Bill stepped back into the hall "yeah sure, how about I go make some coffee" he finished as Ralph shut the door.

"make it strong, I'm gonna need it."

" Sure Kid" Bill stood for a minute then headed to the Kitchen. Kicking him self the entire way for letting a stupid dream bother him so much. He knew the kid saw right threw that spider story_. What was I supposed to say to._ He thought as set up the coffee pot, then turned it on before sitting at the kitchen table putting his head in his hands "_you see Ralph I had this dream where I shot and killed you." Yeah that would go over about as well as a bull in a china shop. _The images from his dream came back and Bill shook them off. _Get a hold of your self Maxwell it was just a dream a big stupid dream, you can't let it bug you, if you do, you make mistakes and mistakes can get people kil…_ Bill stood up quickly and walked over to the fridge "Food that's what we need_" _He said out loud as he opened the refrigerator, keeping his thoughts from going down that road. _"a good breakfast to _boost the old blood sugar".Bill glanced at his watch 6:00. "yeah plenty of time to fix one of the famous wild Bill omelets"_ good thing the councilor went shopping before she left. _He thought as he started to pull items out of the fridge pushing his dream to the back of his mind forgotten at the moment as he started making breakfast.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Bill, What's all this" Ralph stepped into the kitchen 30 minutes later taking a seat at the table.

"It's called breakfast Ralph," Bill replied placing a plate filled with a huge omelet in front of his friend as Ralph took some toast " you know that thing people usually do before lunch"

Ralph took a bite of his toast looking suspiciously at his friend _something was definitely up_.

"I know what is Bill, but I thought you said you were just making coffee, not…" he waved his hand over the table. " not enough food to rival the Bob's Big Boy down the street. Now whats going on?"

"What…Ralph.. nothing's goi.. going on I ah.. I was hungry that's all an... and seeing how I was making some for me I figured why not make some for you." Bill focused on eating his food. He really wanted the kid to drop the subject. There was no way he was going to tell him about some crazy dream. "Besides Wild Bills famous omelet could beat Bob's any day" He put his hand out then dropped it to emphasize the point and hopefully end the conversation "hands down"

"Nothing's wrong.. Bill I can count on both hand and maybe a couple of toes the amount of times you have cooked…."

"Drop it Ralph" There he said it, probably with more anger than he wanted to, but the kid was only making it worse, He just wanted to forget the whole thing. He took a deep breath then let it out then reached for Ralph's plate. "If you're not hungry then just say so, I'm sure the dog next door would enjoy it. "

"uu.. no" Ralph shook his head holding on to the plate, still surprised at Bills reaction. "That's ok, I'll eat it" He said the last part in a whisper, like a kid who had just been reprimanded by a parent. They ate the rest in silence then left Ralph telling Bill he would clean up later.

On the ride there Ralph thought about this morning and Bills odd behavior. They had had fights before, plenty of them. But this was some how different. He could see it, when Bill opened the bathroom door. His friend looked like he had seen a ghost. And despite Bill's instant bravado, Ralph could see, even with out the suit, the worry mixed with fear in the man's eyes. If he really thought about it though, it wasn't only this morning that bothered him, but the last few weeks. His friend seemed on edge especially when a he helped on a case. He thought of Bill hovering over him, always looking over his shoulder, especially Ralphs reminding him to be careful for the millionth time. Even to the point of leaving him out of the loop in concluding a case they where working on. It was only coincidence that he had the suit on and it had given him warning that Bill's life was in danger.

-----

" _Raaaaalph what where you thinking you could've gotten your self killed, then I would be on the councilor's hit list" _

"_What was I thinki….Me...what about you Bill remember I am the one with the suite… you know... magic jammies. Funny red long johns cape…little green guys…"_

_I remember Ralph…_

"_Then maybe I should ask what you were thinking barging in here..ALONE I might add.. you could've been killed… I thought we agreed to get them tonight…"_

"_I'm a grown Boy Ralph, Unless you forgot that. And I can take care of myself…I was good agent way before you showed up…."_

"_That's..." He was getting really frustrated with his friend and leaving him out of the plan that they had agreed to togther " That's besides the point Bill, were a team, which means we work together, I thought we got over this part along time ago. Work together or not at all…." He paused watching his friend, something was bothering Bill, "Unless you don't want to be part of this team anymore Bill"_

"_What!?!," that got his friends attention, which is what he wanted "what are you saying, out of the team. I never said that." Bill stopped when he heard sirens coming up the road. "Look Ralph, I know we agreed to blow the lid off this case and get the bad guys tonight, but they moved early and I had to move fast. That's it ok…. Now hit the silk before we have a lot more to explain if you know what I mean." Ralph looked skeptically at his friend "C'mon Ralph go.. " _

"_Fine"_

------

"Ralph, Hello earth to Ralph.." Billed waved his hand in front of his face.

"Huh, what …" Ralph looked around realizing they had reached the school.

"What do you mean what , were here.. you know the place were you pretend to teach and get paid for it"

" Very funny" He replied getting out of the car then looked back into the car not wanting to start the day with the events from this morning hanging over his head. " um look Bill.. I'm sorr…. "

Bill waved him off "it's bridge under water "

"That's Water under the bridge…"

"What ever, now would you close the door so I can get to work? Some of us DO have real jobs."

"You mean you found another Job Bill.. you didn't tell me"

"Ha ha," Bill paused then continued changing the subject "Um you got the suit right Ralph"

"Yes, Uncle Bill " He held up his briefcase "wouldn't want to be suit-less if a food fight broke out or Russian scientist decide to disrupt the science fair again."

"very funny Ralph, when are you going to grow up. "

"About the same time you do" He laughed shut the door "See ya later partner"

"See ya"

Ralph watched his friend drive away. Maybe be Bill was right he should just drop it and there was nothing to be worried about. Carlisle was probably was on his case or something. Though he figured that would have stopped when Bill was promoted a few years ago and wasn't under the neurotic boss anymore. The promotion brought a little more freedom and a lot less scrutiny but didn't stop the occasional question. He turned to go to class, shaking off the feeling it was something more than just a few questions here or there. He was probably just over reacting to nothing.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"It is 11 o'clock on another beautiful evening in sunny California. With a low tonight of 72 and a high tomorrow in the 80's we are looking at some great weather through the rest of the wee…"

Ralph switched the car radio as he pulled up to a four way stop. "11" He huffed running his hand through his hair. He had a headache on top of a sore shoulder from trying to break up a fight at lunch. His mind was still going over tonight's teachers meeting as he pulled into the intersection that he never saw the truck run the stop sign until it hit him on the passenger side pushing the car off the road its lone passenger unconscious.


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter 4_

_In horror Bill watched his friend slowly sink to the floor from the bullet he just fired. Running over to where his friend lay he knelt down and rolled him over, catching his breath when he saw the dead, lifeless eyes. Blood was pooling around him. He pressed trembling fingers to the cooling flesh of Ralph's neck at the same time repeating over and over "hold on, please don't be dead". Suddenly as if his words or touch gave life, Ralph's hand grabbed him by the forearm "It's your fault," he hissed, Bill let out a shout and tried to pry the hand pulling at the fingers, but they wouldn't budge and instead held him in place so he couldn't runnaway. "I'm dead because of you, It's your fault"_

_Somewhere in the house alarms where ringing. Bill tried in vain to get away " No" He shook his head franticly prying at the fingers. "I didn't know, the suite should've protected you…" The ringing grew louder. _

"_Its your Fault" _

" Nooooo"

Riiiiingg

Bill woke with a start then feeling sick quickly made his way, across his small apartment, to the sink splashing water on his face in attempt to wash the nightmare away. "It was just a dream, just a dream."

Riiiiiinnnnnnggg

The insistent phone ringing brought him further from the dream, looking at the clock he reached for the phone "12 o'clock in the stinking morning this had better be good."

"Maxwell" he barked into the phone

"Tick Tock, Agent Maxwell, Tock Tick"

'Who is this"

Hickory….. dickory…… dock……" The voice rasped out. "The mouse ran up the clock. The clock struck 12 and your partner has fallen down. Hickory… dickory… dock…..

At the mention of his partner, His heart stilled and the images from his dream rushed forward _"I'm dead because of you, It's your fault"_

"who is this…"

"Tick tock Tick tock" The voice on the other end laughed "Won't you come play with me"

The phone went dead; Maxwell slowly placed it back in the cradle. The Nursery rhyme still going through his head mixed in with his dream. "_Hickory…..Dickory…Dock…."__ Bill watched his friend slowly sink to the floor from the bullet he just fired._ "_The clock struck 12 and your partner has fallen down." __Kneeling down next to his friend, Bill carefully rolled Ralph onto his back, catching his breath when he saw the dead, lifeless eyes. _

_RIIIIINNNNNGGG_

The phone ringing again shattered the image as Bill quickly reached for the phone.

"Listen you creep , you better tell.."

"Bill…."

He recognized it as being the counselor. Now he knew something was wrong if the councilor was calling him at 12 o'clock in the morning. He cleared his throat.

"What's wrong"

"Bill, is Ralph with you."

"Ralph…um no prince charming should be at home sleeping" He force a laugh to cover the uneasy feeling that was growing. She huffed into the phone out of frustation.

"Why did I bother calling, Bill you're not listening…I'm sorry I woke you up"

"Now hold it counselor," Bill pinched the bridge of his nose; he was going to have a head ache in the morning "You are the one who woke me up" It wasn't true but he wasn't going to tell her about the call before hers, it was probly just a prank call. He was going to have to change his number again. There was a long silence on the phone and he wondered if she had hung up. If she did he knew he had blown it. She was worried and he knew it took a lot to rattle her, had seen her hold up under lot worse with out so much as a flinch. And it had her worried enough to call him.

"Counselor?"

"I'm here"

"Now tell me what's wrong, why do you think Ralph is here"

"He's not home." She said simply Bill waited for her to continue " He called me this afternoon, and sounded tired, said he had a head ache and his shoulder hurt from breaking up a fight at school. I told him to call me after he got out of the teachers meeting tonight. But he hasn't and I tried to call him but there isn't an answer all I get is a busy signal…"

"Busy huh?" He hoped the kid had just gone home taken a couple of aspirin and took the phone off the hook. But he also knew it wasn't like Ralph to miss a check in, especially with the counselor. In the back of mind he hoped it was nothing, but was having a hard time convincing himself of that with the Rhyme playing over and over in his head.

" Look, the Kid, probably just knocked the phone off the hook…."

"Bill…"

"C'mon Counselor" He was worried, but didn't want the counselor to know it. He didn't want her to worry more than she already was. "don't worry Ol' Uncle Bill will take care of it, anyway Like I said the kid probably just knocked the phone off the hook ok? I'll just go over there get this mess figured out ok?"

"ok Bill,"

"Why don't you try to get some shut eye and I'll will call or Ralph will I promise Later" He waited till she acknowledge him then He hung up the phone and took a deep breath "Don't make me a liar here kid" Remembering what the counselor said about the phone being busy Bill picked up his communicator. After several tries with no response he grabbed his coat and left.

--------

30 minutes later he pulled up in front of the house. He noticed Ralph's car wasn't in the normal spot. Getting out he looked up and down the street, thinking maybe he had parked it on the street for some reason. Not seeing it he started up the driveway. Everything was dark; the only light was from the street light.

He stopped when he reached the door and pulled out his gun. The door looked like it had been forced open. "_Hickory….. dickory…… dock……The mouse ran up the clock. The clock struck 12 and your partner has fallen down. Hickory… dickory… dock….."_

Slowly pushing the door open he called out Ralph's name again, when he didn't hear a response he pushed the door further open and stepped into the entry way. Once there he closed the front door and scanned the hallway.

"Ralph" He called out before finding the switch for the light and turning it on.

The light came on in the living room. The room had been trashed. Slowly he made his way through the rest of the house, finding it in the same condition as the living room. Somebody was definitely looking for something.

"_But what? The kid didn't keep anything worth much….the suit!" _Bill made his way to the closet where Ralph kept the suit. He panicked for a second when he saw it wasn't there till he remembered Ralph had it with him. He continued to look around the house, finally ending back in the living room. Finding the only unbroken chair, he sat down leaning forward on his knees trying to figure this all out.

"Ok Maxwell, think, the _something they where looking for was the suit. But why just go after the suit, Ralph was the only one who could use it. But whoever was looking for it probably didn't know that. And when they didn't find it here they went to the source" _

Bill ran his hand over his face. _"Hickory….. dickory…… dock…… The mouse ran up the clock. __Won't you come play with me" _

He shook the rhyme away then scanned the room stopping on the fire place. There was a envelope sitting on it addressed to him. He pick up it up on the corner and carefully opened it. He didn't want to disturb any evidence that is if there was any.

He pulled out a piece of paper and unfolded it. As he did something fell out landing on the floor. Bill picked it up.

It was a picture of a car, Ralph's car he realized. It looked like it had been totaled in a wreck. He could see Ralph in the front seat. Looking he could tell most of the damage was on the passenger side "_Must have hit him on the passenger side,_ _probably the only thing that saved him , the seatbelt and hopefully the suit." _Bill thought, looking closer he could see Ralph did not have the suit on. "Aw, no why don't you ever listen to me kid" He whispered as he kept his emotions in check. Bill couldn't tell if he had any other injuries, but he could tell the wound on his head, a deep cut ran across his forehead, was pretty bad and he was unconscious.

Putting the picture down he picked up the note.

* * *

Hey, Billie, Willie, lets play cat and mouse.

The cat and you in the middle

The cow jumped over the moon.

The little dog laughed

To see such sport.

* * *

With a growl he crumpled up the paper anger and threw it "It doesn't even Rhyme" Then sat down again as everything seemed to crash down.

"_Hickory….. dickory…… dock…… The mouse ran up the clock. The clock struck 12 and your partner has fallen down. Hickory… dickory… dock….."_

His dream was becoming reality and it was out of control.

_Ralph's hand grabbed him by the forearm "It's your fault," he hissed, Bill let out a shout and tried to pry the hand pulling at the fingers, but they wouldn't budge and instead held him in place so he couldn't runaway. "I'm dead because of you, It's your fault"_

"I'll get you out of this Kid, I promise, You just have to hold on, I promise"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Ralph groaned as he rolled from his back to his side only to roll back again as the darkness around him began to swim and piercing pain shot through his head and the rest of his body. Pressing his hands against his head he forced himself to breathe through the pain. Once the nausea and pain subsided he slowly lowered his hands and opened his eyes.

He waited for his eyes to adjust to the darkness as everything went from a pure blackness to a dull grey before he rolled to his side again clenching his teeth against the sharp pain the movment caused though it was not as sharp as before as he forced himself to his knees then finally standing. Leaning heavily against a wall, thankful for its support he tried to assess where he was and why. The answer to the how came as vague images of an accident and being roughly pulled from his car floated behind his closed eyes. His head was hurting, bracing himself for what he was going to do next he placed his hands on his head.

" HELLO…" He shouted then yelled out in pain as he clenched his eyes shut sliding down the wall, as bright lights came on in response.

"Mr Hinkley, so nice of you to join us" a voice filled the room. "I see my doctor has done a good job seeing to that wound on your head and he assures me that you have no other injuries beyond a few bruises…. I am sorry my men harmed you, they were under orders to simply bring you here, but…" the voice chuckled "let's just say they can get a little zealous with their work"

Ralph's eyes finally adjusted to the sudden light and he looked around the room trying to find the source of the voice. He could see he was dressed in what was best described as hospital scrubs and he was barefoot. "Who are you" he asked as he continued to scan his room. He guessed it was 8 x 8, if that, the walls where smooth, white and appeared to be illuminated from behind the ceiling above was the same. In the corner he saw a lone chair on top of it was a tray with a pitcher and a glass. Besides him and the chair with its contents the room was completely void.

"That information is not necessary…at least for the moment"

"As your…prisoner" Ralph slowly stood up using the wall as a support "Don't I have … a right to know who you are" He continued along the wall making his way over to the chair. The temperature in the room with all the lights was rising.

"That is true… if you had rights Mr. Hinkley ...or can I call you Ralph. You"

"No, you MAY call me Mr. Hinkley." He reached the chair and found the pitcher full of water. He picked up the glass and eagerly filled it and took a sip.

The detached voice chuckled "You amuse me Mr. Hinkley. Do you like to play games,."

"If I say no, do I get to go home?"

"no"

Ralph froze at the harshness of the answer. Where am I and why…"

"Aww, such a curiosity you have Mr. Hinkley, though I should warn you, curiosity is what killed the cat, or maybe in this instance the mouse." The voice laughed then continued. "You see this is my house of cards and I am the master of it. And when I am done being amused by you and Agent Maxwell you will die"

_Bill!! _

"Where's Bill . what have you done with him_"_

"He will be here when I am ready, though he is shall we say a little preoccupied right now, which is unfortunate for you. I figured his loyalty to his friend would come first"

"It does…"

"Then where is he?" The coldness and the lack of emotion in the statement startled Ralph

"Why are you doing this?" he asked again his frustration rising as he pushed doubts about Bill out of his head. He knew his friend and his loyalty.

"Because you interest me, you see I make it my business to study people…"

"By holding them in cages like animals" Ralph yelled at the walls in anger and frustration. The response was electricity that stabbed his bare feet, causing him to fall spilling the water glass.

"Temper, temper, Mr. Hinkley, you must not waste your energy. And I would also be careful with the resources you have…"

"Why" Ralph asked through clenched teeth rubbing his feet.

"You are a smart man, look around; there are no doors, or windows." Ralph paled trying to keep the fear that was rising away as he frantically looked around room as if seeing it for the first time.

"Now a man can live for 40 days without food living only on water. But how long do you think he can live without either one.

"You're Crazy" was the only response he could get out as the seriousness of the situation sank in.

The other laughed as the lights were turned off leaving Ralph in the dark "You know Mr. Hinkley the human mind is very complex yet very fragile. Under the right conditions it can be manipulated…made to believe whatever it is told. I can give a suggestion, Such as there are spiders being released in "Your Cage" as you so nicely put it, and your mind would start to believe it."

"You're Crazy, let me out of here" Ralph yelled quickly standing up, leaning against the nearest wall.

"Itsy ….Bitsy…. spider…."

Ralph backed further into the wall covering his ears trying to keep the song and the idea that there might be hundreds if not thousands of spiders filing the room that he couldn't see.

"...climbed up the water spout…."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The eastern sky turned from the pale grays of early morning to pale yellows and oranges as the sun rose over the horizon. It was 9 o'clock in the morning and already hot which meant it was going to be another hot day in California.

The heat didn't bother Bill Maxwell who stood outside Hinkley residence waiting for Pam. He had called her, and against his advice, she insisted on flying back from her parents on the first flight, not that he could get mad at her or anything; he would have done the same. Pulling off his aviators he walked up to the house.

Despite her insistence bad weather kept her from getting a flight until early this morning some 42 hours after Ralph was kidnapped and Bill had Villacana pick her up from the airport, more for protection than anything. He couldn't afford to lose anymore of his team. He still thought Villacana was a little green, but he knew the young agent could stand his own ground when in a tight spot.

"He was a good guy, would be one of the best" That is what he told the recruiters, He would never admit it to Ralph even though he knew his friend already guessed, what he did for one of Ralph's students.

He checked his watch before opening the door. Time was against them and there were no clues, and it frustrated him because the longer they went, the colder the trail got

"If we had a trail to begin with" he sighed as he looked over the living room, he had hired a crew to come and straighten up but there still was powder on various items, evidence the lab had already been there and processed the scene. "The Counselor is going to have kittens when she sees this place."

He walked back out to the front yard. At the same time a car pull up into the driveway. Replacing his glasses he watched as Pam got out of the car followed by Villacana. Watching her come up the driveway he was glad he had Villacana drive. She looked exhausted.

"_She probably hasn't slept since called,_" he thought, though he figured he didn't look any better, he hadn't slept since that night either. Every time he tried all he saw and heard was Ralph grabbing him and hearing that rhyme going through his head. It even haunted him when he was a wake now. He shook the image from his head and glanced over his shoulder towards the house.

_Yep she was going to have kittens if not a few puppies.  
_  
"You know Counselor," he met her halfway, "I think you should reconsider that safe…" he stopped mid sentence when she shot him her best "drop dead and die" look and walked past him.

_definatly puppies.  
_  
He let her go past waiting for Tony, deciding it was better to stay outside than inside.

"Villacana, what do you got for me?"

Tony handed him a file. "The results from Mr. H's car..."

"And?"

"Nada, max.. uh…" He corrected himself when Bill shot him a look over the rim of his glasses. "That is nothing Mr. Maxwell."

"What do you mean nothing?" asked Bill, flipping open the file as he walked to the house. Villacana close behind. "There's got to be something… Finger prints…fiber something they left."

"Nothing, that's what I said, take a look for yourself if you don't believe me. The only prints they found where Mr. H's, some of yours and Mrs. H's. The car that the guys left" Bill looked up from the file.

"The one they played bumper cars with?"

"Yeah, it came up clean too, and it was reported stolen about three hours before the accident, and the car they got away in..."

"No one got a number from" Bill closed the file and stepped into the house "great just great."

Tony continued "whoever did this, knew what they were doing, Mr. H never had a chance."

Bill waved a hand to silence Tony as he walked into the house. He didn't want Pam to hear.

"Counselor?" he called when he didn't see her right away.

"Bill" She came into the living room from the bedroom "My house…"

"Yeah they really did a number on it in the decorating department..."

Pam continued, ignoring Bill's comment. "Tony said they grabbed Ralph from the car. Why trash the house…" Then it dawned on her why.

Understanding what she was thinking Bill shook his head to keep her from openly mentioning the suit in front of the younger Agent. They had managed to keep it a secret from Tony even after he had joined the FBI and there wasn't any reason to change that now. After he told Tony to go do a perimeter check, Bill turned back to Pam.

"Bill, what's going on?"

"My guess is they came here looking for Ralph or the suit..."

"Or both."

"Or both, and when they didn't find it they went to the source."

"But what about the picture, that was here after the accident,"

"Wha… What picture?"

"What picture?! Bill the one they left, the one showing the accident, it's in that file" she pointed to the file in Bill's hand "Tony showed it to me on the way here. That means they did it after."

"Geez," he groaned to himself. He was going to have to teach that guy how to keep a secret. At least he didn't tell her about the note or the phone call.

"Bill what's going on, why would they trash our house after they got Ralph?"

"Well it's obvious" he cleared his throat "they wanted to get our attention."

"Attention" She mumbled before sitting down. "Did they get the suit as well?"

"Yeah," he said as he started to pace.

Pam watched him as he paced the room as he went over the file reading it to her even though she already knew what was in it. Something about how he looked bothered her. He was more than just tired, and she did worry about him, even though they seemed to get on each others nerves.

_"Haunted,"_ she thought he looked haunted, scared. She had seen him scared before but never seen him genuinely scared or at least to a point where he would openly show it, even in front of her. He always made a joke or some kind of sarcastic remark, he had a way of "reducing everything to its most trivial metaphor" as her husband liked to say about Bill's way of looking at things.

"There's something else, isn't there Bill?"

"What…umm no there's nothing else..."

"Bill, stop it, I can tell when someone is hiding something, its part of my job. As well as finding ways to get that information, Plus I have known you long enough to tell when you hiding something. Now what it is it"

"Geeze, you know, Counselor if you ever want a job as an interrogator give me a call."

"I like my job to much Bill. Now talk."

He reached into his coat and handed her a copy of the note, the lab guys had the original. She read it then looked up.

"Let's play cat and mouse. What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means, Counselor" he started to pace again, "who ever this creep is, thinks this is some game, a sick version of cat and mouse so to speak. If you think that's bad you should hear him talk; a real nut job."

"You talked to him," She crossed the room standing in his path. "That wasn't in what Tony showed me."

Bill took a few steps back. "It wasn't in there huh… Well… yeah he uh called last night right before you called..."

"That's why you nearly took my head off when I called."

Bill nodded then told her about the phone call.

"Bill, we've got to stop this guy, before..."

"I know, and I'm working on it. I had Villacana pull a release report to see if any red flags showed up for any past cases I worked on. Especially for those in the last ten years"

"You think it's someone you arrested, how do you know?"

"How do I know? C'mon Counselor you saw the picture, Ralph wasn't wearing the magic jammies and I checked the car when they brought it in, it wasn't in the usual spot."

"And for it to be missing, who ever kidnapped Ralph, knew where it was and..."

"Took it as well as Ralph," finished Bill

"But why, I mean if this guy wants revenge why not just blow up your car, or something, it doesn't make any since Bill."

"Cause he is a bad guy, when have they ever made sense." He took the note from her putting it back into his pocket "This loony-toon, He's gone off his rocker, taken a long trip off a short pier. He's sick ... reeeeal sick."

He sat down watching her as she started to pace processing the information. Halfway through the second pass she stopped and looked at him.

"Do you think Ralph..." She stopped and wrapped her arms around herself. "Do you think this guy killed him? I mean that accident was pretty bad and.. and…"

"No, I don't think..." He held up a hand to stop Pam from interrupting "I don't think so. This guy is leading us along 'til he gets what he wants. And I figure getting rid of Ralph doesn't fit into that scenario, Ralph's just another piece to be moved on this guy's game board..."

"_Hickory….. dickory…… dock……."_ The voice whispered in the back of his mind.

Bill shook his head to clear it of the voice. "Now we are not going to find anything if we panic and loose our heads, Ralph is OK."

_"Are you sure?_"

Bill forced a smile to cover his own doubt "We're going to get him back. He's probably griping right now about our being late to rescue him, because he thinks we're useless with-out the suit,"

_"Do you really believe that Maxwell?"_

Bill pushed the voice to the back of his mind, as he heard Tony come in through the front door.

"Now here is the scenario, we are going to go over those reports and we are going to find something and we are going to catch this guy..."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Four hours later they were sitting in Bill's office; various stacks of files lay about the floor and the desk. To their growing frustration the stacks showing possibilities were smaller than the ones containing cases they ruled out.

"This is getting us nowhere," said Bill as he closed the file he was staring at, placing it on the larger pile. The other two looked up from their files. "Most of these guys are still sitting on ice somewhere, at least the ones with the brains and money to pull this off."

"What do you suggest we do Bill? We can't give up."

"I'm not saying we give up Counselor, I just think by the time we figure this guy out, it will be too late."

Villacana closed his file placing it on top of Bill's then leaned back in his own chair.

"I never realized how many cases Mr. H helped you on. I mean he is only mentioned a few times but I can tell he helped even if he wasn't mentioned. I just don't see how he found the time" He caught the look Pam and Bill exchanged and the look of relief that crossed Bill's face when there was a knock at the door keeping Tony from asking what it was all about.

"Come in" Bill told whom ever was at the door before picking up another file.

"Agent Maxwell" It was one of the recruits from the academy; Bill tried to remember the guys name Hueyville, Houstov something he couldn't remember they all looked the same - young and green. ...

"_Hugren that was it, you still got it Maxwell," _he told himself as he watched the man enter the room carrying a medium size box wrapped in paper.

"What you got for me Hugren?"

"This was delivered down stairs" Bill came around the desk and took it, then placed it on his desk as Hugren left and Tony and Pam came close. Bill waved them off. "Don't stand to close; we don't know what it is."

"Do you think it's from Ralph's Kidnapper," Pam spoke the question the other two did not want to ask.

"I guess there is only one way to find out." Bill picked up the box and inspected it, finding nothing on the out side he set the box down and slowly removed the tape, and started to remove the paper. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the other two back up a little.

"Um Maxwell, maybe we should have the bomb squad take a look at that before you open it."

"Villacana they probably already ran it through all that stuff down in the mail room, if it was a bomb they would have found it." Bill pickup the box and turned around for the other two to see.

"It's a Jack-in-the-box" Pam exclaimed looking at the large ornate box in Bill's hands. "Do you think it works?"

"I don't know Counselor," He said sarcastically, then handed her the toy. "Do you want to try?"

Bill returned to his desk running his hand over his face. They all jumped when a second later the phone rang. Bill held his hand up for silence then picked up the phone on the third ring.

"Maxwell."

"Did you miss me Mr. Maxwell?" It was the same voice that had called him the night Ralph was kidnapped.

"Yeah like I miss the flu..." Bill replied switching to speaker phone so the other two could hear, and then turned on the recorder. Tony was on the other line getting a trace started.

"It's nice to see you still have your sense of humor Mr. Maxwell."

"What do you want?"

"I told you, Mr. Maxwell, I want you to play my game, by my rules."

"What if I say no?"

The man laughed "That is what your partner said too" at the mention of his friends Bill sat up a little straighter in his chair "So much a like you two are, yet very different, but then you have been partners for a long time." The man paused then continued "I will tell you the same thing I told him. If you don't play your friend dies and you get to watch him die, that is… right before I kill you."

"If you lay a hand on him" Bill growled as he picked up the phone from the cradle.

"You'll what Mr. Maxwell? You don't even know where I am, and that trace Agent Villacana is doing is not going to have enough time to find me."

Bill turned around and looked out the window behind him scanning the nearby buildings. "Who are you? Where Are you?"

"Come now Mr. Maxwell, Someone with your Deductive reasoning capacity should be able to figure out. What was it again? It has been so long, oh now I remember it was above genius. Tell me Mr. Maxwell was this before or after you met your very unique friend."

Before Bill could reply the phone what dead, He slammed the phone down then looked over at Villacana who had picked up the other line again. After a second the younger agent shook his head telling Bill they didn't get a trace.

"Damn," He put his head in his hands leaning on the desk. The phone began ringing again. He waited till Tony gave him the go ahead before he pushed the speaker phone on.

"Maxwell."

"I forgot to tell the lovely Mrs. Hinkley to enjoy the Jack-and-box" At its mention Pam instantly dropped the thing as if it burned her hands. It hit the floor and it started to play a melody and the man started to sing along.

"All around the mulberry bush, the monkey chased the weasel."

Bill shouted for everybody to leave.

"The monkey thought 'twas all in fun."

They hid down the hall and around the corner expecting to hear and see an explosion.

"Pop! Goes the weasel."

Nothing, after a minute Bill started to walk back towards the office signaling for Pam and Villacana to stay put. He was halfway down the hall when smoke filled the office and spilled out into the hall.

When nothing else happened, he gave the all clear and went back into the office and hung up the phone. Everything was covered in confetti and in the middle was the jack – and – Box. Taped to the little clown was an envelope. The phone started to ring again.

"Doesn't this guy know when to give up?" Bill picked it up as he heard Pam and Tony come back into the room.

"What do you want?"

"Bill?"

Bill froze when he heard his friend's voice,

"Ralph? Where are you Kid, are you ok"

"_Stupid Maxwell" _he chided himself _"of course he wasn't ok, he was kidnapped by some lunatic."_

"I don't know," Ralph's voice was shaky, scared and sounded like he was on some sort of speaker or mic not on a normal phone. "It's dark, Bill I can't see anything"

Bill could hear the fear in his friend's voice; it made him mad to hear it and not be able to do anything about it. Then his friend's voice lost its fear, as if he came to a decision "Bill, he is using me to get to you. You can't let him…"

"Kid, what are you saying; you know I can't leave you there." Bill looked across the room at Pam. She was scared. He understood how she felt. He wanted to reach across the phone himself and kill the lunatic responsible for harming his friends "That's crazy talk Ralph, I…"

"Bill listen to…aaah"

"Ralph… Ralph" Bill yelled into the phone hearing his friend scream in pain.

The voice came back on the line mocking Him "Ralph, Ralph... Isn't that nice, so much concern from a tough agent like you. I did not know you had it in you Mr. Maxwell"

"You…" Bill held the phone tighter, willing himself not to lose what little control he had "what did you do to my partner?"

"Oh, He's just getting a lesson in obeying; he didn't follow the rules so he is getting his punishment."

"Listen you jerk"

"No, you Listen Mr. Maxwell," The Voice grew serious and no longer carried the hint of insanity it had before. "And you listen real good. In the box is an envelope,"

Bill took the envelope

"In that is a map and instructions." Bill opened the envelope pulled out a small piece of paper. On one side was a map, turning it over he saw the other side was the instructions.

"I want you to follow them exactly. If you don't" The man paused and Bill could hear Ralph scream in the background "your friend will face the consequence of your actions. You have two hours, Do we understand each other Mr. Maxwell"

"Yes"

"Good, and Maxwell, I don't think I have to remind you to come alone." The phone went dead and Bill stood holding the phone for another minute before he slowly hung up. For the second time in the past 36 hours he felt his world spinning out of control and he desperately wanted to get off the nightmare he found himself in.


	7. Chapter 7

"According to the map on that note and the instructions, place should be here," Bill pointed to the map laid out over his desk.

"Adelanto" Pam read the small print "What's out there?"

Bill folded the map "mostly just abandoned warehouses that served the base out there. When it closed a lot of the places did too".

"Now, I know why that address sounded familiar" Tony walked over to the group "Last year I was part of a raid, it was at this place, "Peterson Industries"

Bill closed his eyes barley listening to the others in the room. He had to figure this out, had to find away to get everything back into control. He knew the kidnapper's voice, but he could not place it, and it bugged him. At least he knew where Ralph was, he thought, as the Kidnappers voice echoed threw his head. Something Tony said caught his attention and he interrupted their conversation.

"What was that Villacana?"

"Tom Peterson…the guys in charge of the operation made a deal with his daughter a Dr Kris…" Tony stopped when Bill suddenly reached for the pile containing the cases they had ruled out.

Finding what he was looking for he flipped open the file. Everything clicked into place. The Kidnappers voice, the things this person knew, the games, Bill was kicking himself for not seeing it before. As he read the file, he asked Tony what the place looked like.

"There's only one road in and out. The other three sides is dessert, and anybody approaching from that direction would be in plain sight, very little cover. I figure we could go..."

"No" Bill cut him off closing the file in his hands and walk around to the other side of the desk, pulling ammo and other things out of his desk drawer

"Do you have any better ideas Maxwell?"

When Tony did not get an answer he looked at Pam gesturing for her to try.

"Bill, what was in the file," Pam, watched him check his guns; he had that haunted look again.

"Nothing" He stated plainly putting all his focus on what he was doing.

"That doesn't look like nothing," Tony added reaching for the file, but Bill put his hand on it keeping him from taking it.

"It's Nothing Vilacana," He put the file in the drawer along with everything else and locked it. "I am officially taking you off this case. You too counselor" Bill put the gun back into the holster and pushed past them to the door, but Tony was faster and blocked his way

"What?! You can't…"

"I can and I will, now move Villacana or I'll move you."

The younger agent grabbed Bill's arm as he tried to push past and on reflex Bill swung and hit him causing Tony to step back in shock before regaining control and coming nose to nose with Bill.

"You want to try that again, Maxwell"

Before he could respond Pam stepped between the two men "Bill!!! what are you doing?"

"I told him to move," Bill said and turned to leave

"Hold it Bill,"

He stopped but didn't turn around "What is it Counselor?"

She groaned in frustration "You're a jerk Bill"

"That... has... been established Counselor…do you have anything else to add... Cause if you don't, I am running on a tight deadline here... Remember Ralph... The kidnappers"

"You know what Bill that's fine…" She threw her hands up in the air "you go in there all gun ho and… and, walk right into a trap, no back up or nothing, get yourself hurt or even killed. But what about Ralph? What you think that would do to Ralph…."

He turned around.

"What do I think… dammit, do you think I am only thinking of my self here? That this is for some Gold star..."

"I don't know Maxwell is it?" Tony interrupted this time "One minute we are in on this and the next you get spooked and…"

"I don't have time for this;" He ran his hand over his face and walked back over to the desk opening the drawer. "This person's elevator does not go all the way to top. He wants Ralph and me. Anybody that stands in the way..." He was shouting and it was starting to draw a crowd to the open door. Lowering his voice, he continued holding the file.

"I am thinking of Ralph, Counselor and what it would do to him if I let either you or Vilacana …." He stopped Tony from interrupting "I know this guy, Vilacana, he is not going to care who is in the way. And he does what ever it takes to get what he wants."

"At least let Tony go."

"The answer is no. He said to come alone, and if I don't ..."

"_I want you follow them exactly, if you do not, your friend will face the consequence of your actions." _

Bill shook the screams out of his head

"Look, Maxwell, I don't get it, what does the Peterson guy's daughter, have to do with the guy who Kidnapped Mr. H"

Bill looked between the two; He had been trying to get them to understand that this was not about them. He closed his eyes, but he was failing miserably.

He could not let them get hurt, could not afford it mentally or emotionally if anything where to happen because of something that happened 10 years ago. He also knew, much to his growing frustration, even if he told them to stay they would follow anyway.

"Look," He finally said "all I ask, is you give me a head start, so this guy thinks I am alone"

When they agreed he handed the file to Pam, "Read the name on the file and the case," She did as she was told, as Bill watched waiting for the reaction he was looking for. And he saw it. Her expression as she read went from confusion, recognition, and then fear.

"Now you see why I have to do this alone or at least make it look that way" Bill took the file from Pam

"Bill, How, why… I mean after all this time..."

He put the file back in the desk

"Cause I broke his rules, Counselor" Then he locked the drawer. "I got away"


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"_Now you see why I have to do this alone or at least make it look that way" _

"_Bill, How, why… I mean after all this time..."_

"_Cause I broke his rules, Counselor, I got…"_

Ralph's kidnapper clicked off the connection that allowed him to hear into Bills' office.

"Well, well Mr. Hinkley," He leaned back in his chair watching the shadow figure of his captive on the screen in front of him "it would seem your friend still hasn't learned to follow the rules, that is most unfortunate for you"

He picked up the phone

"Richards, have Mr. Hinkley brought to my office when Agent Maxwell arrives, and make sure that Dr Peterson is ready, I wouldn't want our guest to miss our little surprise."

He replaced as turned his attention back to the screen and turned on the link to Ralph's cell.

"Mr. Hinkley have you ever seen a cat on a hot tin roof."

"Go to hell"

The kidnapper pushed a button and Ralph yelped.

"I will have no more of that from you Mr. Hinkley, Now answer the question." He pushed the button again.

"Alright, Alright, It' a play, a movie with Elizabeth Taylor..."

The man laughed "No, Mr. Hinkley, I was thinking more along the lines of actually seeing a cat on a hot tin roof. You see he jumps around, has to keep moving. Do you know why Mr. Hinkley?"

There was a long pause and finally Ralph answered standing up and trying to look through the dark at the walls and floors, a little apprehensive at what his captor was planning next for him.

"To…to keep from getting his paws burned?"

"Yes, Mr. Hinkley, you are a very intelligent man. The cat must keep moving because if he stays in one spot to long he will burn his feet."

Ralph felt the temperature in the room rising, then to his horror he realized what was happening and quickly scrambled for the chair. His hope of getting out was fading quickly.

The kidnapper watched on the screen as Ralph tried to avoid the walls and floor of his cell, before finally pulling the chair out causing the pitcher of water to fall. The sizzle of the water on the floor came coul dbe heard as Ralph climbed on the chair. He smiled as his captive cursed the spilled water and his captor.


	9. Chapter 9

Trying to keep warm Ralph huddled on the chair in his cell wrapping his arms around his legs pulling them close so he could rest his head on his knees. After the searing heat his kidnapper now was determined to freeze him to death. His body shivered against the cold as he tried to stay awake. He did not want to go to sleep even if his body and mind screamed for it. He feared that if he did he would not wake up.

Ralph did not know how long he had been in his cage, it could have been a few hours or a few days he did not know, did not even care at this point. He was exhausted, hurting and frustrated with all that was happening because it was all out of his control. And he felt like the darkness was starting to match his own loose grip on reality. The darkness closing in as his time in the little space stretched on.

He was losing the battle to stay awake when he heard a sound to his left. Turning toward it, he watched as the wall slid on some invisible track leaving a small opening. Watching the wall slide, he hoped, even if only a false one, that whatever or whoever was coming through that opening was more pleasant than what he had already experienced at the hands of his captor. He let out a sigh of relief, closing his eyes, when he saw his friend come through the door. Quickly standing up and forcing his legs to work he met the man as he stepped into the room. But before Ralph could say anything though, the man, he thought was his friend slugged him in the stomach. He doubled over as his knees hit the floor causing Ralph to cry out.

Ralph was still on his knees, trying to breathe and grasp the fact his friend hit him, when his captor ordered Ralph to stand and the guards to escort his prisoner to his office. After a few failed attempts on his own, one of the guards roughly stood Ralph on his feet pulling him out of his cell and down a long hallway.

Once there they let him go and Ralph looked around, compared to the cell the office was spacious and dimly lit. Directly in front of him was a long conference table that ran down the middle of the room and to his right at the far end was a desk. One of the two guards pushed him out of the way causing Ralph to collide with one of the chairs around the table before they forced him to stand.

"Mr. Hinkley, I am sorry for the rather aggressive treatment,"

Ralph looked towards the source of the voice but the man stood back in the shadows by the desk. The kidnapper continued when he saw Ralph looking at Bill's double. "Impressive isn't it Mr. Hinkley, and as you have found out "he" is no more your Agent Maxwell as this other gentleman is you."  
Ralphs eyes widened as he watched his double, red suit and all, Stepped forward in to the light.

"Oh I know what you are thinking, " The kidnapper smiled and reached into one of the drawers and pulled out the real suit "But don't worry you see the suit he is wearing is mostly for Mr. Maxwell's benefit and I had it made just for this little reunion"

Dismissing the doubles, he carried the suit around to the conference table on the opposite side of where Ralph was sitting. Ralph eyes stayed focused on the suit the whole time watching as the man placed it on the table in front of him. Ralph looked up and instantly recognized him.

"Striegel," was all Ralph could get out. He was too surprised at the identity of his tormentor. The man was supposed to be dead or at least that is what he thought. He had read it in the file Bill showed him three years ago.

"Yes Mr. Hinkley," Dr Striegel laughed as if reading Ralph's thoughts "I am very much alive."

Ralph instinctively reached for the suit but one of the guards held him back. It took all his strength not to cry out. He was not about to give his tormentor the pleasure of that.

"Come now, you really didn't think it would be that easy did you, this game is only starting. Or maybe you haven't learned this game," Ralph saw Striegel point a gun at him "yet, so let me explain it to you so that you will understand, ok?"

Ralph nodded slightly

"Good now let us begin, first rule I am in charge not you. Second rule is you play by my rules," The last part he said pointing the gun directly at his prisoner "And if you don't cooperate" He pulled the trigger but nothing happened, Striegel laughed waving to one of the chairs closest to Ralph.

"Have a seat Mr. Hinkley," when Ralph did not move one of the guards pplaced him into the chair.

"Why are you doing this" Ralph was finally able to ask through clenched teeth as he watched Striegel walk around the table picking up the suit and placing it on the desk before dismissing the guards leaving him alone with Ralph.

"Why…" Striegel made a show of looking at the weapon, before continuing, "Because I have some unfinished business with Mr. Maxwell…"

"What does that have to do with me?"

Striegel sat in one of the chairs directly across from Ralph, leaning back into the chair he continued playing with the gun. "The last time we met or rather the last time I saw Mr. Maxwell, I assumed he alone was the reason for his successful career." Striegel placed the gun in the middle of the table between them and spun it. Both men watched it spin as Striegel continued.

"But I missed a very important piece to the Maxwell puzzle" The gun slowed to a stop the barrel pointing at Ralph, "You, and you caused me a lot of pain, and destroyed years of research."

"You did that yourse..."

"Lies" Striegel roared grabbing the gun, pulling the hammer back on the gun and pointing it once again at Ralph. Ralph squeezed his eye shut holding his breath waiting for the inevitable to come. Seconds stretched and fear surged through his body, _he was going to die_ he thought. The click of the hammer but with no shot was deafening in the silence of the office and Striegel's laughter was even louder. Relieved, but still terrified, Ralph opened his eyes trying his best to hide his fear from Striegel.

"Have you ever heard of Achilles, Mr. Hinkley?"

"He was a character from Greek mythology" Ralph replied watching as his captor sat back in his chair. He was unsure where Striegel was going, but after that outburst, he felt it was best to follow along.

"You are right," Striegel placed the gun between them, this time closer to Ralph "and according to the story he was seemingly unstoppable, was able to defeat any foe he came up against." Striegel pulled a remote from his pocket, "But Achilles had a weakness a vulnerable spot, hence the term Achilles' heel which in the end was his down fall. And as he had his weakness so does our Mr. Maxwell,"

Striegel push a button on the remote and the lights dimmed as a screen dropped down from the ceiling and an image appeared on the screen, after a few seconds Ralph saw Bill's car pulling up to a group of buildings.

"I wonder what Mr. Maxwell's final thought will be as the man he thought was his friend pulls the trigger ending his life."

"You Bastard" Ralph growled everything falling into place as he grabbed the gun and pointed it at Striegel.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The closer Bill Maxwell got to the Peterson complex the more his nightmares of the past few weeks played in the forefront of his mind. No matter how hard he tried to push them away they came back more vivid and real than the times before.

Even going over the same mantra that "it was just a dream" failed to convince him it was so especially when it seemed all too real. Clearing his head once again of the images he turned off I -15 and looked into his rearview mirror. He knew no one was following him. Especially Tony and Pam, he made sure of that by removing some wires and rearranged certain parts in Tony's car.

"And he thinks he's the only one who knows how to mess up cars" Bill said, smiling. He knew the younger agent would have some choice words with him when this was over. The smile faded as he pulled into the Peterson complex, Bill only hoped he would have a chance to hear those words.

From Tony's description of the complex Bill knew there where two small warehouses and one two-story office building between the warehouses. Striegel's instructions told him to go to the office building.

Bill parked and stepped out the car, pulling his gun from the holster. Closing the door, he started towards the office checking his surroundings at the same time. The afternoon heat shimmered off the glass front of the building and the cement surrounding it. Signs of neglect could be seen in the once well maintained landscape as a slight breeze moved across the parking lot pushing papers and whatever trash it could find.

He paused at the door, checking his weapon before stepping inside. A large two-story atrium area spread out in front of him. To the left and right of a long security desk directly in front of Bill were concrete stairs with glass and steel railings rose up to the second floor, the railing continued across the balcony that connected the two stairs creating a overhang above the security desk.

Beyond the security desk was a bank of elevators, on either side of those was a long hallway. Bill could see from where he stood the first floor at this point in the building matched what was on the second floor.

The silence and the emptiness of the large atrium put Bill on alert as he made his way slowly to the security desk. While he could see anybody that came up to him, being in the open also made him an easy target.

Stepping behind the desk, Bill picked up one of the phones then slammed it down when he discovered there was no dial tone, disturbing the thin layer of dust. Waving a hand in front of his face Bill coughed and mumbled something about housekeeping or the lack there of.

Bill when he heard footsteps, spun around pointing his gun directly at the new arrival.

"Fre….…Ralph!!" Bill pulled his gun back as his friend, red suit and all took several steps back falling over one of the chairs in the security area. Bill instinctively grabbed for his friend keeping him from falling completely to the floor and helping him to stand.

"Geez Ralph I really wish you wouldn't do that." Bill scolded Ralph, as relief and anger surged through him: relief that Ralph appeared to be OK and anger because he almost fired his gun, even though with the suit Ralph would have been OK. The image of lifeless eyes floated in the back of his mind

"Do what?" said Ralph, interrupting Bill's thoughts

"Huh? OhSneak up on me like that" He looked around making sure no one else snuck up on him, as he did so, that little voice in his head that needled when things were wrong was talking, but why? Ralph was OK, for the most part anyway Bill thought, andthe cut he had seen in the photo which was now covered by a bandage, seemed to be the worst of it. But Bill knew something wasn't right, and he could not put his finger on it as to why... then it struck him.

"How did you escape?" Bill asked.

"What" Ralph asked confused by the question.  
"Escape, Ralph how did you get out? Four hours ago, on the phone, you said they had you locked up. And you sounded like you where in a lot of pain, yet here you are right as rain"

Bill watched, as his friend seemed to struggle with the answer. Bill knew Ralph was not good at lying; he wore his emotions on his face. Most of the time Bill could see what Ralph was feeling or thinking just by watching. Right now Ralph seemed nervous, but why would he be nervous? Then Bill realized maybe it was a set up and they where using Ralph to get him. He looked around again before bringing his focus back to Ralph when the younger man began talking.

"When one of the guys came with food I was able to tackle him and get out. I must have knocked him good because he was out like a light when I locked the door. Then I found the suit in one of the other rooms near where I was," said the blond haired man. Ralph watched as Bill processed what he told him, then smiled when the older agent believed him.

"Good thinking Kid, learned some tricks from 'Ole Uncle Bill huh?" Bill said still suspicious, not over looking the fact Ralph did not say how he overcame the guard or why he was not in as much pain as he was earlier on the phone.

A bullet ricocheted off the desk near Bill cutting off anymore of the conversation. Both men dove under the desk.

"Ralph what are you doing?" Bill asked Ralph as he returned fire "go get those creeps."

Bill watched as Ralph nodded and stood up, the feeling something was not right and a feeling of de ja vu creeping over him. "Ralph wait" Bill said, pulling the younger man back under the desk andignoring Ralph's protest as Bill realized why everything seemed familiar. It was his dream, all of this was in his dream.

"_Hickory….. dickory…… dock. .." Bill_ watched his friend slowly sink to the floor from the bullet he just fired_. ……WON'T YOU COME PLAY WITH ME... _Running over to where his friend lay he knelt down and rolled him over, catching his breath when he saw the dead, lifeless eyes.

Bill closed his eyes briefly and then looked over at Ralph. "We got to get out of here Kid, if we don..." another bullet flew over there heads.

"Bill, there seems to be a little problem with that scenario, and in case you missed it, there are people shooting at us." Ralph stood up again in the lull of the shooting. "Besides I have the suit on remember?" He finished then took the communicator from its usual spot "I have the communicator in case we get separated and I can't find you by the usual method" he then replaced it and stepped out of the booth.

Bill tried to stop his partner when two bullets came at him from a new direction forcing him under the desk.

Bill returned fire and moved out from under the desk and ducking behind the wall holding up the stairway as another bullet flew past. From there he could see the security desk and the atrium beyond that. He scanned the room and smiled as he saw the gunman reflected in the front windows of the building. He pulled the communicator out, when he didn't see Ralph anywhere and tried to reach the younger man only to get static in return.

"Damn" he muttered putting the communicator back into his pocket

Movement on the stairs above him drew his attention, from what he could see in the reflection the gunman was on the top landing, and could not see Bill. Using that to his advantage Bill made his way slowly along the wall until he could not go any further with out being seen, but could still get a clean shot.

He took aim then froze when he got a good look at the gunman. It was him, or rather someone who looked just like him. Recovering quickly Bill fired, but missed when his double ducked and ran down the hallway near the elevators.

The agent followed close behind barelyavoiding several bullets as he ducked into an alcove of the hallway. His mind racing over the newest player Striegel had added to the mix. _Or Players_, Bill thought knowing if he had a double so did Ralph. The thought of his friend brought more worry as he thought about the fact Ralph was out there somewhere and he probably didn't know about the doubles.

He got a sinking feeling when he remembered the feeling he had talking to Ralph in the Atrium.

_Had that Ralph been a double too?_ Bill thought, _no it was Ralph, _my_ friend_He would know it if it wasn't

"_Are you sure?_" A voice in the back of his mind asked

"It was" Bill argued with himself "It looked just like him, the suit, the bandage, even his voice."

"_A__re you sure__" _

Bill paled when he realized he wasn't sure. At that moment he was not sure which frightened him more, the fact of these new players or that his dreams where no longer something in his mind to haunt him every time he closed his eyes but real and tangible, something he no longer had control over.

----------------------------------------------------

Wiping the back of his hand across his forehead, Bill leaned against the wall, and closed his eyes picturing the hallway instead though the voices and images from his dreams head mocked him, telling him he was going to fail. Pushing it aside he pictured the hallway.

It was about ten feet by six feet crossed at the end by another hallway. One door, maybe two.

He returned fire as a bullet ricocheted off the wall just above his head, then pulled the empty cartridge out replacing it with a new one as he heard the gun man retreating.

He brought the gun up and tried to relieve some of the tension out of his shoulders. Everything was surreal to him, as his dream continued down it course. First he and Ralph had been separated in the initial gun battle. Whether it was the real Ralph or not seemed a mute point because either way he did not know where his friend was. It was that not knowing that had Bill worried, not knowing where Ralph was even if his best friend and partner had the suit, or hoped he had it on but because even with the suit Ralph had some vulnerabilities.

"_Ralph is not going to die"_ he thought as he quickly look around the corner, no one was there. He hated shooting blindly in a direction, especially when he didn't know who was in that direction. But it is what he had to do, If he came around a corner and hesitated he would be killed, but he also knew a shot aimed a little high… He shook the thought away. "Wasn't going to happen, Maxwell," he whispered "Ya gotta stay focused here, the kid can take care of himself**."**

Bill tried the communicator again but only received static. "Damn something must be messing with the signal**," **he mumbled as he pushed the thing back into his pocket before calling out his partner's name.

When there was no response he slowly stepped out and made his way down the hallway with his back up against the wall scanning in front and behind him as he moved before calling out his partners name.

"Ralph?" He whispered harshly as he approached one of the doorways. A bullet from inside the room was his response. "This is getting old real fast." He grumbled before stepping into the room and firing at the source of the bullet. Instead of hitting a mirror as in his dream Bill watched his double sink to the floor. Movement in the hallway quickly registered that another gunman had been in the room and slipped out the some other door. Bill quickly turned back to the hall and fired missing the person as they ducked into the next hallway.

"Damn"

Nearing the end of the hallway he could hear the other person just around the corner. He checked the gun "Damn only one shot. Sloppy Maxwell real sloppy,"he said as heslowly cocked his gun so as not to alert anyone, then taking a breath turned the corner took aim.

This time he hesitated when he saw Ralph standing in front of him. It was in that hesitation that Bill realized it wasn't his friend when the double raised a gun and fired.

as he tried to get out of the way, the bullet grazed Bill in the shoulder, causing him to drop his gun in pain and sending him crashing into the wall hitting his head. Shaking the pain and dizziness off and using the wall as support Bill tried to sit up searching for his gun.

Spotting the gun a few inches away Bill reached for it only to have the Double kicked it away. Bill then tried to get up using the wall as leverage when Ralph's double kicked swung using his revolver, laughing as he did so. The blow connected and Bill rolled the other way finally coming to rest on his back as he tasted blood in his mouth and fighting to stay conscious.

He closed his eyes losing the battle as he heard the click of a gun being cocked and ready to fire. His last thoughts as darkness surrounded him were of his friend and the fact he failed Ralph, that he was too late, that the younger man was probably already dead, and soon he would be too.


	11. Chapter 11

Wanted to break to give a nodd to my betas. Special Thank you to Mel for the help. For enduring all the grammer mistakes, banter and endless questions as I finished this story. Ok with out further delay lets get back to our story...

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Chapter 11...

"Have you ever heard of Achilles, Mr. Hinkley?"

"He was a character from Greek mythology" Ralph replied watching as his captor sat back in his chair. He was unsure where Striegel was going, but after that outburst, he felt it was best to follow along.

"You are right," Striegel placed the gun between them, this time closer to Ralph, "and according to the story he was seemingly unstoppable, was able to defeat any foe he came up against."

Striegel pulled a remote from his pocket, "But Achilles had a weakness a vulnerable spot, hence the term Achilles' heel which in the end was his downfall. And as he had his weakness so does our Mr. Maxwell."

Striegel pushed a button on the remote and the lights dimmed as a screen dropped down from the ceiling. An image appeared on the screen, after a few seconds Ralph saw Bill's car pulling up to a group of buildings.

"I wonder what Mr. Maxwell's final thought will be as the man he thought was his friend pulls the trigger ending his life."

"You bastard" Ralph growled, everything falling into place as he grabbed the gun and pointed it at Striegel. He ignored the pain the quick movement brought and pushed it aside. Beyond the pain and anger Ralph heard Dr Striegel laughing.

"Really, Mr. Hinkley, do you actually believe that I would leave the gun fully loaded where you could reach it? Now why don't you _put the gun down_ and we can talk like two civilized men."

Dr. Striegel's voice seemed to pull on Ralph causing him to lower the gun. Although Ralph seemed unfazed by what Striegel was saying, somewhere inside, his mind latched onto what was said forcing Ralph to obey...

Shaking the feeling off, Ralph raised the gun again. "You stopped being civilized when you used humans as your test subjects Striegel."

Striegel started to reply when Ralph aimed the gun to the left of Striegel and fired, cutting the man off as a bullet lodged in the wall next to Striegel.

"It seems you missed one. Shall we test that theory?" Ralph stated flatly re-cocking the gun and aiming it at Striegel as he saw Bill enter the building and another part of the screen showed the two doubles waiting. "Call them off Striegel."

"I can't," Striegel sneered... walking over to his desk ignoring Ralph's orders to stop. "Anymore than you will use that gun to kill me Mr. Hinkley"

Ralph again felt pulled by Dr. Striegel's voice, shaking his head to get rid of the feeling. He told Striegel to stop again as he came around the conference table and stood in front of Striegel the gun at his side.

"Stop what Mr Hinkley? Is there something _I said_ that bothers you?"

"Whatever it is your doing," said Ralph wincing in pain. His head was pounding now.

"But I am not doing anything," said Striegel innocently.

"_Fre….…Ralph!!" _

Bill's voice coming over a speaker in the office drew their attention. Ralph pointed the gun at Striegel. "Call them off now," he said.

"Like I said before I can't," the man replied playing with the suit on the desk in front of him. "You see I gave them strict orders and that nothing was to stop them... not even me."

Ralph turned to the screen watching the two men in the lobby talking. He was dismayed that Bill was being fooled by the double. And there wasn't anything he could do to warn him of the danger.

"It is frustrating isn't Mr. Hinkley to see your friend so easily fooled? Someone who supposedly was your best friend, someone you trusted. How pathetic he can't even tell the difference between you and a copy."

Rage swelled up as a gun fight broke out on the screen. Ralph turned back to Striegel placing the gun within inches of Striegel's head. "Call them off now Striegel or I will..."

"You will what Mr. Hinkley…" Striegel cut him off as he laughed. "Shoot me? You won't pull that trigger..."

"Wanna bet?" Ralph pulled the hammer back on the gun setting the trigger.

"It would be a bet you would lose Mr. Hinkley," Striegel said leaning back in his chair putting space between him and the gun. He smiled when he saw Ralph contemplating Striegel's words. Seeing Ralph glance at the screen again, Striegel continued. "You see, I know you Mr. Hinkley, killing me would go against everything you believe in. You don't have it in you to kill me. That is why you won't pull that trigger. I can see it in your eyes, Right now even though I am an easy target, within range; you still struggle with whether or not you will pull the trigger."

Ralph relaxed the hammer on the gun, but tightened his grip on the handle. "You have no idea what I will or will not do," he said threateningly.

"I know more than you think Mr. Hinkley and if you kill me I still win. And either way my plans will be set in motion. Plans that even you or your partner won't be able to stop."

"What are you talking about?" Ralph growled through his teeth stepping closer to Striegel.

Striegel only laughed at Ralph's questions. The more Ralph asked the more Striegel laughed and the more frustrated Ralph got with the man until finally he shouted for Striegel to stop, firing the gun to the left of the Doctor.

Striegel only looked at the man in front of him. He knew the minute Ralph had pulled the trigger he had won, knowing everything was working the way he wanted. And all the satisfaction of that knowledge showed on Striegel's face.

Occasional gunfire could be heard. Ralph watched the screen from the corner of his eye, making sure to never to take his complete focus off the doctor.

"I did forget to mention one thing Mr. Hinkley... what you are watching is time delayed" Ralph pulled his full attention to Striegel then back at the screen as he watched Bill go after his own double.

"No..." He whispered in disbelief

"Yes, by 10 minutes, you're too late, it has already happened."

Ralph watched as Bill hid in an alcove of the hallway and heard his name as being called. He was too late, he failed. Over his emotions he heard Striegel mocking as Bill called Ralph's name.

The frustration at having failed to protect his friend again swelled up and gave way to anger. And still Striegel laughed only adding to the fury until it came to a head. Ralph turned once more toward Striegel bringing the butt of the gun across Striegel's temple. The force of the blow knocked Striegel out of his chair and onto the floor, unconscious.

Ralph, breathing hard from the exertion and shock at the rage that was built up inside, kneeled next to Striegel's form and checked his pulse. Finding it there, he lifted up an eyelid and looked into Striegel's eyes, seeing the whites.

"You're right Striegel, I won't kill someone, but that doesn't mean I won't knock them senseless," Ralph said as he stood up. He grabbed the suit and quickly changed into it. After using the suit's speed and an extension cord to quickly tie up Striegel to where he couldn't get free, Ralph looked at the screen again.

Ralph could see that Bill was still in the hallway slowly moving along the wall. There was no way of knowing if what Striegel said was true or not. Then he thought about the gun, if Striegel lied about the gun maybe he lied about the time delay as well he told himself, concentrating so he could get an accurate holograph of Bill.

But either because of his head injury and other factors, Ralph couldn't get anything. He hoped maybe his nerves, along with everything else were blocking it, and not because Bill was already dead. It didn't matter which it was though, he still didn't know where Bill was. He looked over at Striegel kicking himself mentally for being too hasty and letting his anger get the best of him.

Ralph heard his name again and looked up watching as Bill stood outside a door way. The agent then readied his weapon and stepped into the door way shooting as he did so. The shot rang throughout the office, but this time Ralph noticed something different. The shots were not as muffled and he could hear them clearer, the sound coming from a different source other than the office speakers. Somewhere close by ... and Ralph realized he still could help.

He quickly turned to the door. Pulling the door off the hinges Ralph stepped into the hallway scanning it. The hallway was long, office and what looked like labs lined the corridor. The hall took a turn at each end with another corridor.

Another shot rang out this time coming from the corridor to his left. Glancing over his shoulder at the screen in the office behind him, Ralph's world seem to move in slow motion as he watched an injured Bill reach for his gun only to have it kicked away by Ralph's double. Then the double kicked his friend before swinging his weapon and bringing it down on the agent. Bill ducked as best as he could, but received a glancing blow to the head.

Quickly turning toward his left he raced down the corridor toward where he knew Bill was, slowing only slightly when he reached the end. Seeing the gun man standing at the other end of the connecting passageway he continued.

----

The double sneered raising his gun and placing it to Bill's temple as the man slipped into unconsciousness. "And so it ends for the great Agent Maxwell..."

"I would like a different opinion," a new voice stated flatly behind him, startled by the sudden appearance he turned and aimed firing at the source. Ralph threw his arms up over his head blocking the bullets as the man unloaded the weapon.

Once the weapon was empty Ralph lowered his arms glaring at his doubleganger then approached him, anger flaring in his eyes and surging through him. The gunman tried to back up, but tripped over the agent. Ralph caught him by the neck before he could fall then lifted the man up off his feet.

The man clawed at the hand but it didn't affect his captor. "Don't kill me," he gasped, sensing inside that this man before him could easily kill him with just a small twitch of his hand.

Ralph barely heard the plea above the roar in his ears as red hot anger and hate surged through him. His grip on the other man was only slightly restrained. Somewhere inside him seemed to take pleasure in the thought of killing the man out right for everything that happened to him...

It was that thought though that scared him and held him from going through with it. Ralph looked the man in the eyes, but saw Striegel there mocking him, tempting him to kill.

"Never!" He told the image, his comment confusing the double as Ralph slightly tapped the man's head against the wall, rendering him unconscious. Letting go and watching the man slump to the floor, Ralph walked over to where Bill lay and leaned against the wall near his friend.

After sliding down until he sat on the floor Ralph brought his legs up and leaned his head on his knees, forcing himself to gain what little control he had left. Twice in one day, in less than an hour he let his emotions control his actions, and in one case almost leading to the death of another human being. No matter how justified he would have been had he gone through with, it went against everything he believed in, something he vowed to never do especially in the suit. And it scared him that he had come to that point, just barely able to pull himself back from it.

Bill moving brought him back to the present forcing the issue to the back of his mind. Ralph moved closer to Bill, kneeling next to his friend.

"Can you tell them to stop the ride I want to get off," the agent said trying to sit up, but Ralph kept a hand on the agent's chest keeping him from moving.

"It's all over Bill."

Hearing Ralph's voice Bill opened his eyes then closed them against the hall light, after a second he tried it again and was able to keep them open and looked suspiciously at the man leaning over him. Doubt it was really Ralph came to Bill's mind as he remembered all the events up until he blacked out.

"Would you help me sit up Ralph?"

"I don't…"

"I'm not asking Kid I am telling you," Bill said gruffly he wanted to be in a better position to fight if the man was not Ralph.

Ralph was worried about his friend, but did not want to argue with him, so he helped him up. Bill then asked for his gun. Confused as to why Bill would need it, but still complying, Ralph looked around for the weapon and found it a few inches away. He picked it up and handed it to the agent who then much to Ralph's surprise pointed the gun at him.

"Bill, what…"

"Making sure I know who all the players are," he said nodding his head toward the unconscious double. "That everybody's who they say they are in this nuthouse of mirrors," he finished wincing a little in pain but keeping the gun level.

Ralph followed the man's gaze confused for a second then realized what Bill was getting at.

"You want me to prove I am Ralph and not him," Ralph said motioning to the double.

Bill nodded. "How about you do a disappearing act for me?"

Ralph winced at the request, not sure with the pain he was feeling and everything else, if he could do it.

"I can't..." said Ralph hesitantly. Then seeing Bill cocking the gun and taking aim Ralph raised his hands. "Wait, I don't mean I can't, cause I am not the real me but cause I don't think I can because of my injuries. I can't concentrate enough to do it. The suit plus adrenaline I know are the only things keeping me from passing out."

The older man seemed unconvinced by the excuse, much to Ralph's frustration. He had to think of something to convince Bill. If he didn't Bill would shoot him, and Ralph didn't want that to happen knowing at such a close range the bullet would just ricochet off something, possibly killing Bill in the process which would prove who he was but with the wrong results.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

As Bill watched, still skeptical, Ralph quickly tried to think of something as he scanned the area. Not far from where they sat Ralph spotted the double's gun. Reassuring Bill he was not going to use it he picked it up and crushed it as if the gun was clay.

Ralph then knelt down again in front of Bill. "Convinced?"

Bill nodded lowering the gun. "Sorry Kid had to make sure," he finished, then closed his eyes, sore from a blinding headache he was sure he got when the doppleganger hit him over the head.

"Where are you hurt Bill?" Ralph asked pushing aside his own pain to check Bill's injuries,Bill winced at the treatment "I'm alright Ralph," he said as he brushed Ralph's hand away "just a few bumps and scrapes to add to the collection."

"A few bumps!! Bill you've been shot.."

"Nah just grazed me…and hit my head on the wall… that's all" Bill laughed looking at Ralph who looked back skeptically at him "OK... and maybe a few cracked ribs and such… But that's it…I'm fine" he finished closing his eyes again leaning his head against the wall.

Ralph sat back on his heels feeling guilty that he was somehow responsible for those injuries.

Though his eyes where closed Bill could feel the Kid watching him.

"What?" Bill asked then heard Ralph sigh, and knew his partner was taking what happened personally.

"Why didn't you just shoot the guy, Bill?"

"I thought he was you, Kid." He chuckled waving off Ralph's concern and grimaced when his ribs protested the action. Bill did not want Ralph to feel responsible for everything, if anyone was to blame it was Striegel ... and himself for letting it happen.

Ralph paused at the statement and looked over at the double then back at Bill.

"Next time remember I have the suit. Just shoot and sort it out later," Ralph replied then smiled. "Just aim low OK, but not _too_ low."

Bill opened his eyes, seeing Ralph's grin started to say something then stopped, closing his eyes again with a sigh he smiled.

"I´ll try to remember Kid. I´ll try to remember."

Ralph laughed softly knowing Bill was going to be all right then helped the man to stand up. When he was sure Bill could stand on his own Ralph walked over to his double kneeling down to check the man's pulse. He could not help but get chills looking at and touching what essentially is his mirror image. He shook off the feeling with a shudder.

"I guess we should get that suit off," Bill said watching his friend's face turn gray. Concerned the man was about to pass out, he started to ask if that was the case when Ralph suddenly stood and looked back down the hall listening for something. "What is it Ral…."

"I think I heard some…."

Bill held up his hand when he heard something as well and knelt retrieving his gun and kicking himself for not being alert enough to remember that there were at least two other gunmen if not more out there. He also wished Ralph were well enough to risk turning invisible or get a vibe without him passing out.

There was a sound again and this time Bill recognized it as crunching glass and knew that it was coming from around the corner in the office where he shot his own double.

He made his way down the hall stopping at the corner, waving for Ralph to follow closely. Before he could doing anything Ralph motioned - so as to not alert the bad guys- he had an idea and stepped around him and into the adjoining hallway. Bill started to follow when he saw one of the gunmen come out of the office and quickly stepped back out of sight.

Both the gunman and Ralph stopped in the hall. As they stood there staring at each other, Ralph started to rethink his plan of fooling the man into thinking he was the double. Clearing his throat he said the only thing that came to mind at that moment as he raised his hands.

"It's me," said Ralph, hoping the man would believe it was the doppleganger.

The gunman looked at him then raised his gun pointing it at Ralph. "And who would that be?"

"Um…" Ralph started when he heard movement behind him and the click of a gun.

"The man who is going to give up unless he wants to see his partner dead..."

Ralph turned around to see that a second gunman had snuck up behind them and was holding a gun to Bill's temple. The man then smiled and shoved Bill towards Ralph, who caught the older agent before he fell.

The agent seemed unsteady on his feet and started to slump to the ground as though he was close to passing out. Ralph, worried about his friend, guided him to the wall so Bill could lean against it.

"Bill, I can't carry you with how I feel," said Ralph finding it hard to keep Bill steady on his feet but then realized Bill wasn't quite as boneless as he claimed to be when the agent helped Ralph to support his 'near dead weight.'

"I'm real sick Ralph" Bill stated loud enough for the gunmen to hear, keeping his attention to Ralph. Ralph looked at Bill confused, when Bill nodded towards the two men, Ralph smiled returning the nod, understanding what Bill was trying to do.

"Stop playing around" The second man said waving his gun at the two. "Let's go."

Ralph turned towards the gunman giving the orders. "My friend's hurt..."

"He's going to be in worse shape if you don't do as you're told," the first gunman said coming over and standing next to the second. That was all Ralph needed as he grabbed the two and slightly knocked their heads together, rendering the two unconscious.

Bill frowned as he saw the men drop to the ground. "You know Ralph you really need to give me a warning before you do crazy stuff like that." Bill said shaking his head as Ralph knelt down checking the gunmen's pulses.

"Like what," Ralph said still kneeling.

Bill shook his head in disbelief. "Like wh… Ralph like pulling a stunt of just walking up to these guys and not telling me the game plan."

"I did Bill," Ralph smiled as he turned slightly looking up at his friend, then amended his statement when he saw Bill's glare. "Well sort of..." he smiled as he stood.

As he straightened up, Ralph felt himself tilt to one side and everything start to fade. Then he vaguely felt two hands grabbing him under the arms keeping him from completely falling to the floor.

"I got you," Bill said wincing in pain from his shoulder injury but holding onto Ralph until he was sure the man was not going to pass out on him. Recovering and straightening up, Ralph assured Bill he was not going to and that he had only stood up too fast and kept insisting he was fine as Bill then kept hold of Ralph's arm. Bill was ready to argue then dropped it, waiting a few moments until he felt and saw Ralph standing on his own before releasing his grip on Ralph's arm

Bill then looked at the unconscious gunmen. "We need to take care of these guys and that other suit."

Ralph nodded still feeling a bit off balance, then followed Bill.

As they removed the fake suit and tied up the men, Bill asked Ralph about Striegel. Ralph told him; leaving most of the details out including the pistol whipping he gave Striegel. Telling Bill instead that he was able to corner Striegel with the man's gun and once he got the suit and put it on he was able to knock Striegel out by giving him a slight head tap against the wall. He justified lying to Bill by telling himself that essentially what he said was truth with some details left out. Details he didn't think Bill needed to know and didn't have the courage to tell him about. The whole incident from the time he grabbed the gun until he knocked the double out bothered him especially that he almost killed someone willingly - that fact scared him.

"OK that does it for your double here Ralph," Bill said as he finished tying the last knot before standing up and turning to Ralph. The younger man was now leaning against the far wall and Bill realized he had been quiet for a few minutes. He was also concerned that Ralph's complexion was still pale. "You OK Kid? You're not going to faint on me are you?"

Ralph shook his head clearing it of whatever thought was there. "Uh…No… I'm fine," he said dismissively. He then held up the fake suit. "What should we do with this?"

Bill took it out of Ralph's hand. "I'll hold on to it. Get rid of it later," He paused looking up and down the door lined hall. "We should probably check on Striegel, before he comes to and causes any more trouble. Where is he?"

"I left him tied up in his office," Ralph said leading Bill to Striegel's office. As they walked, Bill noticed every now and then Ralph would reach out for the wall for support as he walked. When they reached the office Ralph let Bill go ahead of him hesitant to go back in there.

As Bill entered he looked around the office, the screens on the far wall drawing his attention. The screens showed different parts of the building. He had a sinking feeling that if what Ralph had told him was true about his time in the office, then his friend had a front row view of everything that happened since Bill arrived. Knowing Striegel, Bill also wondered what Ralph left out in his short explanation earlier.

Bill was about to ask Ralph when he noticed several cars approaching the front gate "I think the Calvary has just arrived Kid, and I don't think you want to explain why you're running around in your funny red pajamas there. Put on that ... stuff." Bill pointed to the clothes Ralph had discarded earlier

"Why?" Ralph said from the door way. He really didn't want to have anything to do with the garments, preferring the suit over putting anything that was associated with Striegel and the complex back on especially in the shape they were in. "We can tell them it was one of Striegel's tortures or something" he laughed simply but failed to get the joked across to Bill as the older agent glared back at him. Ralph looked down at the clothes. "Not funny."

"No Ralph not funny now will you change already?"

"Why can't I just put the clothes on over it?" Ralph protested again. "Give me one reason why I should Bill."

Bill glanced over his shoulder at the screen; more cars were approaching and the ones that had already arrived where met by some of Striegel's men coming out of nearby warehouses. Gunfire could be heard over the speakers.

This time, Bill knew being blunt was the best policy - even if Ralph wouldn't like it. "Because you have already tried to pass out on me twice," he turned back to Ralph who had reentered the office and was leaning against one of the chairs. "And I think you're stretching your luck with the suit keeping you on your feet. If you do go out I don't think I can change you, and I don't feel like explaining to the troops why you are wearing it in the first place."

Ralph looked at the screen weighing his options, knowing Bill was right, but could not bring himself to put the clothes on. Bill seeing the younger man's reluctance and not wanting to put Ralph through anymore distress tried to think of a solution to the problem.

"Ok, let me think," Bill said thinking for a second then came up with a solution "I'll be right back."

"Where are you goi…." Ralph started to ask but the agent already left. He sighed in frustration looking around the office he had confronted Striegel in. Being back in the place gave him an uneasy feeling. Even with Striegel tied up and out cold he did not want to be in there alone. He turned to leave when Bill came back carrying a bundle of clothes in his hand.

"Here, these should work," Bill said as he handed Ralph the bundle. Ralph looked through the bundle which consisted of pants and a shirt, both of which were too large for the younger man's frame. "Bill where did you get these? You could fit two of me in this getup."

"From one of the gorillas we tied up. Now stop complaining…. cause it is either those or the dirty duds you had on earlier." Bill pointed at the clothes on the floor.

Ralph looked between the choices of clothes then conceded and started to change his clothes as Bill went over to check on Striegel who was still lying on the floor with his hands tied behind his back.

He knelt down and checked the man's pulse then glanced over his shoulder at Ralph, who had sat down and was pulling the last of the suit off, then started pulling the pants on.

"You could have at least gotten the belt too, Bill, these things are going to fall off me," Ralph grumbled standing up holding the pants. The dim light in the office and table obscured Bills view.

"Sorry Kid...here I don't think Striegel will miss his tie," Bill said as he turned Striegel over to remove the tie. As he did, Bill saw a bruise that was forming on the doctor's temple. _Some tap_ _kid _Bill thought to himself, as he removed the tie and becoming suspicious of the info Ralph gave him. Bill had seen some of the results of one of Ralph's head taps, but the bruise was never this large. He grew more suspicious when he saw a gun lying nearby. On instinct Bill looked over Striegel for bullets wounds. Finding none, he let out a sigh and chided himself for thinking Ralph would have shot someone.

"How did you knock the good doctor here out again Ralph" Bill asked. Even though he remembered what the younger man had told him earlier he wasn't sure that was the whole truth. Concerned when Ralph didn't answer he turned slightly to look at his friend. As he did Bill saw Ralph start raise a hand as if to shade his eyes then sway to the side before catching himself on one of the chairs.

"You OK, Ralph" Bill asked starting to stand up just in case, Ralph looked at Bill confused, then started to say something before he paled, collapsing to the floor, barley missing the table and falling between the chairs.

Bill rushed over, pushing the chairs out of the way, while the images of Ralph dying as in his dreams flashed through his head. He pushed the images aside declaring to himself Ralph was going to be OK as he knelt down next to his friend.

Glad Ralph had managed to change completely out of the suit and at least get the pants on before passing out Bill gently rolled Ralph onto his back. He whistled softly at what he saw.

"Oh Kid... I'm sorry" Bill whispered when he got a closer look at Ralph and saw the injuries the suit had been hiding.

Besides the stitched-up gash on Ralph's head, Bill saw cuts and bruises on most of his friend's body. Some he could tell where from the accident, such as the mark that went across his chest diagonally. Others, however, he knew didn't come from the accident like the burns on the younger man's feet and the red marks that encircled his wrists. Whatever had caused the mark had broken the skin in a few places.

Bill also noticed a few bruises on Ralph's forearm, the results Bill realized on closer examination of Striegel or possibly one of his men giving Ralph a shot or shots of something, but what that was Bill didn't know. He hoped it was nothing serious, but he couldn't help fearing it could mean life or death for Ralph.

He felt like he was going to be sick and anger swelled in Bill when he thought about what Ralph might have been through; he suppressed the urge to do the same to Striegel when he heard Tony calling his name. Bill decided to instead focus on getting Ralph taken care of.

"In here Tony," Bill shouted as he quickly took off his jacket and rolled the two suits up in it. He put the bundle in one of the chairs pushing it under the table.

The younger agent entered the office, scanning it quickly then radioed that he had two men down at his location.

"Is the Counselor here?" Bill asked as Tony kneeled next to him. He didn't want her to walk in and see her husband like this.

"Downstairs, practically had to lock her in the car to get her stay put." Tony replied with a faint smile, then asked how his former teacher was doing, not missing the bruises and other injuries.

"Not so good thanks to "Dr. Mangle" over there."

"No need to thank me Mr. Maxwell" Striegel laughed weakly from the other side of the room. Bill turned around and saw that while he was with Ralph, Striegel had recovered and was now sitting up and leaning against the desk.

Letting his anger get the best of him, Bill bolted up and quickly crossed the room, grabbing a hold of the doctor and pulled Striegel to stand to his feet. Tony tried to stop him but stepped back when Bill told him to back off.

"What are you going to do Mr. Maxwell... kill me?"

"The thought had crossed my mind, and trust me I am not above killing slime like you…"

"Very poetic, Mr. Maxwell, Did…"

Bill ignored the comment cutting Striegel off as he grabbed the doctor's collar. "What did you give him Striegel?" said Bill, guessing Ralph's current state was due to something Striegel gave him on top of his injuries.

"Oh it won't kill him, Mr. Maxwell, just make him suffer a little," Striegel sneered then grinned. "At least I don't think it will kill him, though in his condition it might."

Bill pulled Striegel across the room pointing to Ralph "Take a good look at your _"work"_ Striegel, because I swear no prison will protect you if that man dies," then Bill forced Striegel to look at him "Now tell me what you gave him."

Striegel simply narrowed his eyes "Is that the best you can do Mr. Maxwell? I am surprised, a man of your caliber reduced to giving idle threats to injured old men."

Striegel looked over at Ralph as a pair of medics entered the office then back at Bill. "Well it doesn't really matter does it, besides there were so many things to choose from. It is hard to remember exactly what it was." He finished with a sinister laugh

Bill's anger flowed through him, and he wished that Ralph could do this instead of him. He could only give a fraction of the payback Ralph could in the suit...

"Maxwell!!" Tony shouted stopping Bill just as the older agent pulled his arm back to take a swing at the doctor.

Realizing that Tony could turn Bill in for assaulting a suspect - not to mention what Striegel's lawyers could do to get him off for it - Bill let his hand drop then shoved Striegel to Tony who started to escort Striegel out of the office.

As Tony was doing so Pam came into the office, blocking their exit briefly when she saw the medics working on her husband. Striegel followed her gaze then smiled looking back at her.

"My condolences Mrs. Hinkley…" He said with a sickening, insincere smirk.

It was Tony who cut Striegel off this time by pulling him back and standing between Striegel and Pam. He didn't say anything, letting his expression and stance be a warning to Striegel that if he laid a hand on her, he would have to deal with the younger agent. Even Tony had to admit to himself he wanted to punch the guy's lights out for harming Ralph, but knew to follow procedures.

The two men simply stared at each other before Bill broke into the standoff, telling Tony to get Striegel out of there. Tony nodded not breaking eye contact with Striegel, then grabbed Striegel by the arm roughly and pulled him out of the office.

Bill pulled Pam out of the way and led her to sit in a chair before he sat down in another chair. Bill ran his hand over his face as they both sat silent watching the medics work on Ralph.

Neither wanted to speak, Pam because she wanted to hold onto the last bit of strength she had, she feared if she said anything she would lose it and start crying and wouldn't stop. She had been angry that Tony made her stay near the car, practically putting her under guard while he went to find Ralph and Bill. When she heard Tony over the radio 10 minutes later say there were two men down, she couldn't wait anymore and went to find the former student turned agent and followed the two medics inside.

When Pam entered the scene she was shocked, not expecting what she saw, and quickly realized Tony wasn't treating as a third string like Bill did at times but to protect her from the worse. Though thinking back on it now she couldn't recall what she was expecting. Maybe it was the small part in her that hoped Tony's report was for someone else, or not as major as it sounded.

But then seeing her husband beaten and bruised, lying unconscious and the medics working to help him, then meeting the man responsible, brought it all back to a reality that she didn't want to grasp. A reality that said she had a chance of losing her husband and everything that was associated with it. And she didn't want it.

She wanted to wake up and find the last few days had been a dream, some nightmare that one could wake up from, banishing it to the shadows never to be thought of again.

She sighed closing her eyes against the scene in front of her fighting back the tears. She knew though the reality of it was, it wasn't a dream and it wasn't going to end quickly she just prayed that it had a happy ending despite the reality of the here and now.

Bill heard Pam sigh next to him. There wasn't anything he could say or do to make the situation better; knowing whatever he said or did would come out wrong.

The green guys teamed him up with people who became his friends, to a degree his family, and when either one of them got hurt he took it personally as if he had failed them somehow.

He knew the Counselor thought Bill considered her only as a third string utility. That may have been true at first, but defiantly not now so many years later. She had proved herself time and again over the years to be a vital part of the team.

And that is what they were a team. Pam needed Ralph and vice versa just as much as Bill needed them. And now…. Bill looked over his two friends...And now it was falling apart because he failed to protect them.

Bill sighed closing his eyes against the scene in front of him fighting back the emotions. He couldn't afford them and couldn't afford to appear weak. He had to appear strong for his friends despite the reality of the here and now.

Both sat lost in their own thoughts until the medics were ready to move Ralph. Bill stood and grabbed his jacket with the suits and escorted Pam as they followed the medics and stretcher out of the office.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Thirty minutes later Bill leaned against his car watching the LifeFlite carrying his friend to UCLA Medical. The medics attending to Ralph had decided, based on what Bill had told them about his injuries and that Striegel might have poisoned the man, to take Ralph there rather than the local hospital. The closest hospital to the compound didn't have the facilities to determine what it was Striegel had given Ralph or to treat it. They also wanted to save the patient the stress of having to transfer him later if he did get worse.

Bill covered his eyes turning away from the helicopter as sand and dust were picked up and thrown into the air from the moving blades as it took off. As it ascended higher the sand settled and Bill lowered his hand.

"You got to hang on Kid, don't let him win," he whispered sadly to himself as he watched the helicopter until it was out of sight then turned to survey the area.

The midday sun was just sinking below the horizon, giving way to dusk as the lights in the parking lot started to flicker on giving everything a yellow cast. As he continued to scan the compound he saw that it was no longer the empty and barren looking place it had been a few hours before. Instead the compound was now a mass chaos of movement, with about a dozen or more cars scattered around and agents from various agencies milling about. The names of which agencies they belonged to were printed on the back of the jackets they wore, some Bill recognized, others were newer to him.

Closer to the main building he saw that two mid-size moving vans had been backed up to the entrance and he watched for a second as people would exit, carrying boxes of what he assumed were files and other evidence. The people then placed these in one the vans before they reentered the building.

After another scan he located two tables that had been set up between the main building and one of the warehouses as what could only be described as a temporary command center. Across the tables, maps and other papers were spread out. A group of seven agents surrounded it looking over the blueprints and papers. Every now and then one would look up to talk into his radio or to an agent standing in another group near the table.

Bill took off his aviators and placed them in his pocket, then locked his car with the suits inside, before heading to the group of agents. As he approached, two agents from the second group broke away and started towards him. One of them was Villacana. The other he could not place right away, he then smiled when he finally recognized the other agent. The man had joined around the same time as Tony, but was a rising star in the bureau, it would not surprise Bill if the man was a lead agent or close to it by the time his tenure came around.

"Cyler, Villacana," he greeted the two agents as they approached. Both nodded and Tony spoke first asking why Bill didn't go with Ralph to the hospital to check out his own injuries. Bill shrugged off the inquiry "I'm fine Villacana, gave my seat to the Counselor. Besides, somebody had to keep an eye on you two rookies."

"Uh huh... we're rookies and you're walkin' around bleedin' to death like you can't believe you've been shot." Tony said and Bill shrugged off Tony's comment

"It's just a graze Villicana. 'Sides, I don't go out after seeing blood like someone did the first time he was hit."

"I remember that too," Cyler chuckled at the comment, and got a glare from Tony which the man ignored. He then became serious. "You really sure Mr. Maxwell? We really don't need you to pass out either."

Bill just nodded and asked what else had turned up. Tony filled him in.

"They took Striegel into custody, Mr. H's double, along with the two he was tied up and the others we arrested in the warehouses. And a fe minutes ago it came over the radio that they tracked down Dr. Peterson at LAX trying to take a flight out of the country," Tony finished looking over at Cyler deciding if he should leave out what else they found or just skip over it to the other things. Cyler understanding the look shook his head slightly before picking up where Tony left off.

"As far as the rest, they are collecting files and other evidence to be examined later. It doesn't look like Striegel will be able to avoid prosecution this time around," Cyler said nodding towards the vans.

Bill did not miss the look Tony gave Cyler, and suspected they were holding something back, and he was not in the mood to let them leave him in the dark about anything.

"Ok fellas, enough of this footsie-playing you're doing and tell me what your failing miserably to avoid telling me," he said looking between the two. Cyler cleared his throat then answered the senior agent's question.

"I was on the team that found where… That is what we believe was where Striegel was holding Mr.…"

"Show me," Bill told Cyler cutting him off.

"I don't think..." Tony started then stopped when Bill turned towards him. After a second, he backed off instead of continuing with what he was going to say. He had already seen the small room, as Cyler had shown it to him after he had handed Striegel over to be processed, and even with door open and the lights on it made him feel claustrophobic. He could not begin to imagine what it was like for his formal teacher. Nevertheless, he knew convincing the older agent that he did not want to see it was useless.

"It's this way," Tony finally said. Bill nodded in reply letting Cyler and Tony go ahead of him before he followed the two men back into the main building.

----------------------------

One of the first things Bill Maxwell noticed as he stepped through the small opening and into the room was the stench that greeted him. Sweat, mixed with other odors he recognized but did not want to think about overwhelmed his senses. He took out a handkerchief and used it to block out the smell.

He then scanned the rest of the room guessing it was 8-by-8 feet, and with his build even standing in the middle of the room it felt smaller than that. The walls where smooth, white and had a translucent quality to them. The ceiling and floor where the same, and stains marked the floor and in one corner, frowning when he could see at least one source of the mixture of smells. The only items in the room were a lone chair that sat on its side where it had fallen and a pitcher its contents long gone, and tray lying nearby.

Bill closed his eyes, blocking out the rage he felt. He could only imagine what it felt like in this room when the door shut you in, how Ralph must have felt, left alone trapped in the dark with no way out.

He opened his eyes and turned around when he heard Tony step into the room, leaving Cyler outside. When Tony told him there was more, he could not grasp what else Striegel could have done to Ralph in this room. Tony explained that one of the agents searching Striegel's office ran across a panel of controls that connected to this room.

"Did you test it" Bill asked, Tony nodded.

"Yeah, by mistake actually, that is how they figured out where the panel connected to. Agent Milos was the one searching the office and hit the panel by mistake while another agent was in here," Tony pointed to the room where they were standing. "Cyler was walking by and heard screaming. It took them a few minutes to get the door open again."

"Can you show me?" Bill asked wanting to know what else Striegel could have done. When Tony balked at showing him, Bill insisted the younger man show him. Finally, Tony gave in, asking Cyler permission to run the program from earlier, mainly because they already knew what it was, and there would be no surprises.

Cyler agreed and went to the office to run the controls. Tony made sure Cyler knew to only let the sequence run for a few minutes before he asked Bill if he was ready. When Bill nodded, Tony radioed for the agent to start the sequence.

"Program starting," Cyler's voice came over the intercom and the door to the room slid shut. The sounds of its mechanisms vibrated through the room as it locked in place and the room grew dark.

In the pitch-blackness, the walls seemed to get closer and the air thinner. After a second or maybe longer, Bill could not tell, the walls started to glow dimly changing colors to a low rhythmic hum that seemed to come from all sides.

As the sound got louder, Bill recognized it as music some of the younger agents had played for him once. At the time when he had asked them what it was, they rattled off a bunch of names, like techno, trance, and house. Bill just told them it was junk. Listening to it now still did not did not change his thinking of it.

As time went on, the walls and the colors in them shifted and changed in time to the music, and every now and then images appeared. Grotesque images of dead people and other disturbing scenes that reflected whatever evil and hate there was in the world. Mixed in with these were pleasant pictures such as kids playing and laughing, or things that reflected what people would naturally think of as good. All these images together flashed in and out as the music and colors changed.

Before too long, the room was a confusing chaos of lights, images and music. The two men covered their ears and shut their eyes against the images. Finally, to Bill's relief, everything stopped leaving them in silence and darkness. When the door finally opened, Bill stepped through it. Tony followed close behind.

Leaning against a wall, Bill kept his eyes shut, trying to regain his sense of balance and to keep from being sick. He had seen many things in his time with the bureau, and seen a lot reasons for people to turn to crime, to harm others. Some of them good, some of them bad, it did not really matter to him, the reasons rarely made sense anyway in the end. But when he saw things like what Ralph had to endure in that room for who knows how long, he knew there was only one reason behind it and that was evil, pure evil.

"Striegel should be locked in that room and the key thrown away," he said after a few minutes once he was able to regain his composure, but inside his anger toward Striegel was boiling.

"Don't worry Maxwell," Tony replied thinking Bill had directed the comment at him, "Striegel will get what he deserves."

Bill shook his head looking at the man "You're wrong Villacana, no matter what dark prison hole they put him, it will be nothing close to what he deserves." The man paused and looked at the open door and into the darkness that it contained. "I think there is probably only one place that would even come close Villacana."

"What is that?" Tony asked turning to see what Bill was looking at.

"Hell."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Pam stood by the window of her husband's room watching the storm that was raging outside. She did not seem to notice the thunder or the flashes of lighting, which lit up the night sky and the hospital room.

Instead, she was lost in her own thoughts. For the last 7 days since being rescued, her husband of 10 years was fighting for his life, while she and his friend took turns watching and waiting for him to get better. However, the opposite happened, when Ralph first arrived he was in pain, severely dehydrated, in a state of delirium and had developed high fever on top of everything else.

Nothing seemed to dull Ralph's pain; her husband was just too agitated, and his physical wounds wouldn't heal because the trauma was exacerbated by his activity from the delirium caused by the dehydration and fever. In an attempt to keep him still and quiet, so Ralph could heal, Dr. McGill, the physician assigned to his case opted to put him in a medically induced coma. It seemed to work and they relaxed the sedation after a few days, but her husband didn't wake up, and the fever came back bringing a respiratory infection with it which they attributed to Striegel's virus. They also determined it was part of his problem when he arrived at the hospital.

That was three days ago. The doctor told her, despite what it looked like Ralph's body was fighting off Striegel's virus and healing from the other injuries.

Pam reached up and wiped a tear from her face as she continued to stare out the window.

What they told her were just words to her, meaningless and empty. The words did not give her comfort when she had to go home to an empty house the few times Bill forced her to go home and get some rest. It did not make her husband suddenly appear in the bed next to her, to comfort her when she cried herself to sleep.

Pam sighed and turned from the window, the room was dark except the low light above Ralph's bed and the light that spilled in from the hallway outside the room. Ralph's bed was tilted at an angle and he wore a nasal canula as a precaution from developing pneumonia. Various monitors hummed and beeped next to her husband's bed. There was a heart monitor, an oxygen-blood saturation device to monitor his blood oxygen level. There were some others but Pam could not remember their purpose. She did not really care, she did not want him to be sick, and she wanted to kill Striegel herself for putting her family through this.

Pam looked away from the bed as she heard Bill talking to someone in the hall, and after a second recognized it as Tony. She then looked around the room and sighed, her eyes coming to rest on the wall closest to her.

The hospital would not allow flowers in the room, but did allow cards. On the wall were dozens of, if not more, cards and various other things all from friends and family. There were also cards from students and teachers past and present of Whitney High where he had started out as a teacher, and was now the principal. She smiled sadly at the memories of Ralph coming home shocked when he heard that he was being considered and not believing he got the job until his first day working in the position.

She moved away from the wall and crossed the room to sit in a chair next to her husband's bed. Holding his hand, she closed her eyes, forcing back the tears and praying that he would get better. Then opening her eyes Pam sat closer resting her head on the hand she held in hers.

She wanted to stay like that but she knew Bill would be in soon to send her home with Tony. It had become their daily ritual. He would come, they would argue about her needing rest, eventually she would give in. Tony would take her home for a few hours to sleep then bring her back, and then she would argue with Bill over his needing to go home and rest. It was the only thing normal in their lives right now.

Pam held on tightly to Ralph's hand, hoping she'd feel him give her hand a squeeze. "Ralph," She whispered. "Please come back, I need you here."

She looked up when she heard Bill's voice grow louder then quickly lower as he talked with Tony about something. She smiled a little turning back to her husband as she imagined the on duty nurse once again reminding the men they were in a hospital. "Besides Tony needs help with Bill," she said to Ralph as she heard the men again. "Or it might be the other way around. They need you."

She let the smile fade. "We all need you, Ralph. We're not ready to let you go." Pam gently squeezed his hand "I'm not ready, I lo…" She paused, startled because she thought that Ralph had weakly squeezed her hand back.

It was also the first time she noticed his hand was cool to the touch compared to what it had been in the past week. She stood up leaning closer "Ralph" she whispered keeping her voice calm as she squeezed his hand again. When Ralph squeezed back a little stronger this time, Pam called to the men in the hall.

------------

Bill Maxwell leaned against the wall outside his friend's room with his eyes closed. His trench coat was slung over the back of the chair next to him creating a small puddle from the water that dripped off it. Dr. McGill had just given him an update before continuing his rounds and Bill wanted to give Pam a few more minutes before they started the little game of "who was more tired and needed the most rest" and he sent her home with Tony. The first couple of times it was true arguing but now it was something they did out of habit.

Bill opened his eyes when heard Tony approaching, carrying two cups of coffee. The younger agent handed him one of the cups. Bill took a sip then made a face. "Blech, I havn't figured out which is worse Villacana: The sludge they serve at the office, or this hospital mud."

"I'd say it's about the same" Tony chuckled wryly taking a sip. Making his own face at the taste, he asked the older man what the doctor had to say.

Bill shrugged and stepped away from the wall "No change. They said most of it is up to the Ki... Ralph. And that they are out of options if this round of whatever they are giving to help him doesn't work."

Tony frowned at the prognosis. "And Mrs. H?"

"About as well as anybody who is told the love of their life had a 50/50 chance of…." Bill let the rest go unspoken as he leaned against the wall again. He did not want to think about losing his best friend; No, Bill thought, Ralph was more than a friend; he was about as close to family as he had.

He could not think or imagine what would happen if his friend was not there. He did not want another partner - he said as much when Ralph got shot when the two first started out and he still meant it. He would never admit it to Ralph but be needed the Kid, not because of the suit, but for a whole slew of other reasons, and Bill was not ready to let go. He sure in the hell was not ready to let the green guys have him yet.

Tony let the silence be for a few minutes. He also could not think what would happen without his former teacher, and mentor around. He knew if it had not been for his teacher's intervention and help, he would not be where he was.

Tony knew he would not have the family he had with Rhonda or have the career with the Bureau. He knew he would be in either prison or dead somewhere if Ralph had not pushed him to do better, to try harder and look beyond where he saw himself. That he was more than what people thought of him.

Tony sighed looking at his coffee. He also knew that he was not the only one his mentor had helped. He had inspired a lot of kids over the years and many people owed part of what they had now to him. He shook his head not wanting to think about what might happen and change the subject slightly.

"Did you hear the news?" said Tony softly.

Bill nodded keeping his eyes closed "Yeah at this rate it will be the next ice age before Striegel sees a trial."

Tony looked at Bill confused, and then realized the man must have left his office before the latest news came in. "No not about Striegel, Dr. Kris Peterson."

Bill opened his eyes "What..." He said louder than he meant to and quickly lowered his voice "What about her?"

"She's dead."

"What do you mean she's dead?!" This time he was yelling and the nurse at the station hushed the men reminding the two that they were in a hospital.

Bill just smiled at the women then turned back to Tony "What do you mean she is dead?" Bill whispered, he could not believe it. First Ralph's double is killed in an apparent prison fight the second day he was in custody and now Peterson was dead. Something was not adding up.

"They found her body a few hours ago in her cell, apparent suicide. She cut her wrist."

"Suicide!" a glare from the nurse as she left the station to answer a call, forced Bill to lower his voice. "That's crap, and too much of a coincidence. First Ralph's double then her. I bet anything that Striegel was behind both and it was no suicide."

"That won't be easy to prove. Striegel has been in solitary for the past four days with no contact at all. Only his attorney has been able to see him besides the agents interviewing him. And why would he bother it's not like they were key to his trial."

"Who knows what goes through the mind of that creep. Peterson..." He paused for a second thinking about why Striegel would kill her then continued. "My guess would be because she was his right hand ma... girl. And he wanted to keep her from telling all his secrets," said Bill bitterly. "As for the double, I'd say because he failed to kill Ralph or me. Striegel hates to lose…"

Pam's frantically calling their names cut off the conversation as Bill, fearing the worst, told Tony to find the doctor, and then quickly entered the room.

Before Bill could ask what was wrong, Pam told him she thought Ralph was waking up and he was not as hot as he was before.

"What," Bill reached down grabbing Ralph's hand making sure to avoid the IV, he was relieved to feel it was not as hot as before.

"C'mon Kid, wake up," Bill whispered gently squeezed his friend hand trying to coax him awake. "The Counse... uh Pam, is here, so is Tony. We're all waiting for you Ralph." Bill frowned when there was no response.

"I was so sure..." Pam whispered turning away.

"Counselor..." Bill started letting go of Ralph's hand, only Pam didn't turn back or acknowledge him. He knew how she felt, to have your hopes raised only to be dashed. The agent had been there plenty of times, he didn't want her to give up.

"Counselor, why don't you try again? He's probably being his usual self ignoring me and all." Bill looked down at his hands. "Besides, he just might not like these rough hands," Bill said jokingly.

"He never did take orders from you Bill," Pam said half heartedly turning around and tried again, but this time, Ralph's hand remained limp. Pam let the hand go walking back to the window completely disheartened.

Bill looked down at the unconscious man, saddened that his friend hadn't responded. He was about to turn away also when he saw Ralph move his head slightly.

"Ralph, that's it, just a little more," Bill said leaning on the rail of the bed. Hearing Bill, Pam turned around as Dr. McGill came into the room followed by a nurse and Tony. When McGill asked what happened Pam told him. He quickly told them to step aside as he leaned over checking his patient, as he did so Ralph flinched some from the exam. McGill stopped what he was doing.

"Mr. Hinkley," McGill asked softly to see if he could a response. Ralph moved his head slightly and McGill smiled. Behind him, he could hear a collective sigh from the patient's friends. McGill talked to him some more and Ralph opened his eyes in response before closing them again. After a few questions, which McGill received sluggish headshakes or nods for answers. He told his patient that was good and told him to rest some more before directing the group of friends out into the hall.

They waited as the doctor gave the attending nurse instructions before turning to them. Bill was the first to ask the question on everyone's mind.

"How is he?"

"The last round of antibiotics seems to have worked, his fever has broke…" The group cheering interrupted McGill and he had to raise a hand to quiet them before he continued, "As I was saying the antibiotics are working but he is not completely out of the woods yet, and he has a long road ahead for recovery. Most of his other injuries have started to heal and I do not see those as keeping him here, but..."

"But what" said Bill and Pam at the same time, annoyed.

"But, it is the respiratory infection and any lingering effect from the virus that is keeping him here. However, I would say if he keeps improving, he should be out of the hospital, barring any setbacks, I could release him in say a week, two at the most.

McGill smiled inside watching the three people trying but failing to hold in the excitement and relief they felt, as he went over what was next. After a minute, he gave up deciding to let them enjoy the moment.

Before he left McGill gave strict instructions they could see Ralph but only for a few minutes. The doctor then left chuckling to himself. McGill knew he did not have to worry about his patient, and he had a feeling that Ralph Hinkley's friends and wife would make sure he got well.

They all decided to let Pam be the one to go back in alone first then Tony would drive her home. Pam stepped back into the room and walked slowly around the bed taking the seat she had before and reaching for Ralph's hand. When she did, Ralph opened his eyes and looked over at her.

"Hi" Pam smiled her vision blurred, her eyes filling with tears as Ralph smiled back squeezing her hand.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Two months later...

It was a typical late Saturday afternoon in the Hinkley home. Laughter could be heard from the four occupants inside as they watched the last minutes of a ball game on TV. The game came to a close sending cheers and groans into the air.

"That's $20 you owe me Villacana. Cough it up" Bill grinned holding his hand out to the younger agent. The soon-to-be payer groaned at losing the latest bet as the 6 o'clock news came on the TV.

"Aww come on Maxwell, they won on a technicality."

"Tech smech, a bet's a bet Villacana, you lost I won. Now pay up."

Tony started to protest, looking at Ralph and Pam, who sat together on the couch, for help. Pam laughed and Ralph raised his hands up in a "don't look at me" gesture.

"Sorry Tony can't help you…"

Bill gleefully interrupted. "Yeah now pay up or do I have to report you for defying a superior officer? Wouldn't look good in the file of agent fresh out of the rookie factory."

Tony grumbled pulling out his wallet "That's blackmail Maxwell" he finished holding out the $20 and Bill snatched it out of his hand.

"That's the breaks Villacana" He checked the $20 to make sure it was real - a habit since he first met Tony in the restaurant many years ago - before putting it in his pocket. "Now if you all will simmer down I want to see who else will be paying me," he finished, turning back to the TV catching the end of the sports highlights blocking out the rest of the room's chatter.

Standing, Ralph laughed shaking his head at the two agents. "I'm going to go start the grill for dinner. How do hamburgers sound..."

"Sorry I'm going to have to pass this time Mr. H, Rhonda's waiting for me," Tony said standing up and pulling his jacket on before heading to the door.

"Why don't you call her to come over here? We have plenty of food Tony," Pam offered.

"That's real nice of you Mrs. H, but you see Rhonda will be getting off work soon and with me being busy at work and her…"

Pam smiled, understanding the deeper meaning of his reasoning. "I understand Tony."

Ralph walked with the younger agent and former student to the door. He had opened the door asking Tony to tell Rhonda hi from him and Pam when Bill called to them.

"Hey Ralph, come here."

The two men returned. Ralph leaned on the back of the couch, as Bill turned up the volume of the TV.

"…The trial for Dr. Adam Striegel ended today when he was found guilty on three of the seven charges brought against him for his role in the aggravated assault on a federal agent as well as the kidnapping and assault of an area resident. Authorities have not released the names of either victim. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for next week," The anchor paused then started again going over the history of Striegel . "Striegel first came to the attention of authorities while heading up the research department at Cal State in the late '70s but fled the country before formal charges could be brought against…"

Bill switched the set off as Tony wondered what charges Striegel was found guilty on.

"Who knows, probably hear about at the bureau on Monday, seeing how the government had a good case against him," Bill replied, turning to face the two men. "I'm surprised he didn't try to plead insanity and avoid the trial, I mean with his looney tunes talk about…." A quick look from Ralph cut him off before he revealed the suit.

They were lucky that they had Striegel this time as the first time they met Striegel political wrangling and extradition delays kept the doctor with the Mexican authorities, the delay took so long when they cleared it up the Mexican government told them he was dead. So Bill's arrest of the man every federal agency thought was dead gave Bill another gold star and would outweigh the presumed crazy talk of Ralph's and Bill's doubles and Striegel himself.

"Either way," Bill continued staying away from the subject of the suit "Striegel is out of our hair and won't be playing any more games except maybe tiddily winks with his thumbs."

"Yeah but for how long?" Ralph, lost in his thoughts, whispered to himself more than to anyone in the room.

"What was that Ralph?"

"Huh…what?" Ralph snapped out of his thoughts embarrassed, realizing he must have spoke out loud and covered the comment quickly not wanting to raise any concern in Bill.

Ralph already felt the agent was already on the verge of smothering him with protection, ever since the kidnapping and his stint in the hospital. Bill had been watching and hovering like Ralph was going to fall apart at the seams no matter how many times Ralph told him he didn't remember the ordeal and he was fine - which was only partially true.

Ralph cleared his throat and continued. "Oh I said, I better get the grill going. If it is much later we will be eating in the middle of the night. You sure you don't want to stay Tony and have Rhonda come over?" He said turning to his former student. Tony shook his head declining the offer.

From where he sat, lost in his own thoughts, Bill watched Ralph as the man talked a few more minutes with Tony. Bill knew exactly what he heard, and Ralph trying to gloss over what he said made it more concerning. He knew Ralph was still recovering from his ailments and such that Striegel inflicted upon the man, but something was up if Ralph was speaking his thoughts out loud. Bill was going to find out before Ralph said something unconsciously about the suit to someone who didn't know...

Bill heard Tony say goodbye, and brought his attention to the two men as Ralph opened the door letting the agent out before and turned back the others.

"You planning on staying for dinner Bill," Pam asked before Ralph could, though she knew the answer as her husband's friend never seemed to pass up the chance for a free meal.

"Depends if you're making those munchkin size burgers your famous for. Those things couldn't fill a baby."

Pam glared at the older agent "Bill I…"

"I take that as a yes," Ralph quickly cut in. "OK, you two hang out here and let me see to the grill so we could get this party started."

Pam, still a little miffed at Bill's comment asked Ralph if he needed any help.

Ralph shook his head, as though he had been distracted. "Uh... No that's OK; I'm just going to..."

"Start the grill, we know Kid. You've told us that, I think what the Counselor here was asking was if you needed help in the food department and…"

"I know what she meant Bill," Ralph said flatly not missing the undertones in Bill's comments. "And I told you I was fine," he paused for a second then smiled. "Besides, you're missing the sports highlights, and Pam you've had a hard week and it shouldn't take too long to get everything set. I'll holler when I am ready." He finished as he turned and left the room.

Bill watched Ralph until his friend turned the corner before he turned back to the TV even though his thoughts were far from what was being displayed. He was concerned for his friend, he wasn't really sure why, just knew something was bothering the Kid and it wasn't just ghosts of the past couple of months.

Not only had Bill heard Ralph's comment about Striegel earlier, he noticed Pam did not miss it either. That bothered him, not so much the comment or his cover, but Ralph himself.

Usually Ralph was a constant moving force in the room, or on a scenario like some Energizer bunny. Now he was quiet and withdrawn. He wasn't interested in doing the things he liked. Bill practically had to drag him to go fishing, and he gave up trying to get the Kid to go to the desert. Not that Ralph enjoyed going out there for scenario training anyway, but Bill just wanted the man to do something outside of his house.

Bill had also noticed how unsure Ralph seemed of himself, especially if there was a scenario, though Bill rarely asked Ralph to help over the last two months because he didn't want to push him.

There had also been a few times when Bill came to the school and would find Ralph lost in thought in his office or had gone home early, though Bill understood the last part. The man's body was still healing and the doctors told him to take it easy. But the Kid still had to gain back the weight he lost in the hospital which told Bill his friend wasn't eating or taking care of himself like he should.

Not only that, simple things still made him jump, a door shutting, someone dropping a tray. It didn't seem to matter if it was loud it made Ralph jump. There were other things as well, his freind seemed to go from one extreme to another. One day he would not let you out of his sight the next he didn't want anybody around like what happened a few minutes before.

Bill shook his head as the news switched to some commercial. Taking a sip from his drink he lowered the bottle staring at the label, lost in his thoughts once again as he remembered the one time while Ralph was still in the hospital and had a nightmare.

Bill had just sent Pam to get some coffee offering to sit with his friend, when all of a sudden Ralph started thrashing around, shouting at whoever was hurting him in his dream to stop.

The attendants came in and had to restrain Ralph to keep him from ripping the IVs - One in the back of his hand, one in his arm- out before they had a chance to calm him down.

However, the restraints only made the hysteria worse, and Bill had to order them to take the restraints off when they refused to at first. Only after he explained that Ralph had been kidnapped and tortured did they comply. Once they did, Ralph relaxed and Bill was able to talk him down out of his dream.

After Ralph had finally fallen back to sleep, Bill looked at the younger man's sleeping form and frowned. Ralph's screams of terror and pleas for help still sent chills through him as his imagination made up ideas of what the younger man went through at the hands of Striegel. He could only imagine because Ralph refused to talk about it, saying he did not remember. But if the incident in the hospital was an indication, Bill knew subconsciously at least Ralph remembered.

"….I don't know what to do Bill" Pam sighed standing up and turned off the TV and started to pace some.

"Huh," Bill cleared his head when he no longer heard the TV. Looking up he saw Pam pacing.

"About Ralph, I don't know what to do, Bill." Pam answered in frustration when she realized the agent hadn't been listening to her. "I am worried ... he just doesn't seem like himself lately."

"Aww the Kid's fine," Bill lied trying to cover his own concern "Just needs a little more time that's all."

"A little more ti..." Pam raised her voice then quickly lowered it when she heard the back door open and shut. "Last week I woke up to find my husband huddled in the corner of our room terrified. It took a while before I could even touch Ralph without him either jumping or huddle up into a tighter ball." She looked toward the kitchen thinking she heard the door again. When there wasn't anymore noise she continued. "He hasn't been eating as much as he should …once he comes home from school he locks himself away, not just physically locking himself someplace Bill but emotionally; he goes straight to bed..."

Pam held up her hand before Bill could interrupt "And don't give me that line "the doctors told him to take it easy", I hear it enough from him."

She started pacing again "Bill do you know what he told me the other day," Pam asked, and Bill shook his head no. "He told me he wanted to quit."

"Quit… what the suit, he's said that before and …."

"No Bill, school. He turned in his letter to Knight yesterday…"

"He what?!…" Bill shouted shocked that Ralph would do such a thing. He knew something was wrong if Ralph considered leaving Whitney High.

"Ralph gave his notice…" Pam answered

"Now I'm starting to think his egghead's scrambled. Did his boss accept it?"

"Knight didn't accept it of course. When Ralph kept insisting, Knight told him that he understands why with everything that happened, that even though they had disagreements in the past he respected Ralph and didn't want to lose him. Mr. Knight gave Ralph the weekend to think it over before he turned it over to the board."

"So Ralph's made one bad choice..."

Pam nodded sadly. "Bill, He wants to give up, just walk away. He's worked so hard that I don't understand why he would just walk away."

Bill let her pace some more, letting her cool off some. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Even when they were first starting out in with the suit, Ralph made it clear to him how important those kids were to him and how much he loved helping them. Ralph refused to help on scenarios at times because the students at the school came first.

"Ralph quit teaching and bein' a principal?" Bill protested "He can't do that any more than he can easily give up the suit. Have you asked him why, talked to… "

Pam glared at him. "What do you think I've been trying to do Bill? Ralph still wants Knight to accept his resignation to leave Whitney High and I'm concerned..."

Bill backtracked some. "I heard what you said Counselor, and you are not the only person who has concerns. I've noticed his change in behavior; Villacana even voiced his concern earlier today. What I was getting at was has he said anything at all about what's going on in that noggin of his?"

Pam sat back down on the couch leaning forward with her head in her hands thinking for a minute then leaned back into the couch pulling one of the pillows to her. She hugged it tightly and rested her chin on the top of it.

After a few seconds of silence she spoke up.

"Bill, there are two Ralphs, I know you have seen it: There is the one he shows to the rest of the world, that says 'Hey, I'm fine and going on with my life' and then there's the other side that few see, where he is not OK, and I think that complex…Whatever happened there is eating away at him on the inside. It has stolen the best part of him, and left something that is empty, no longer full of life. It's almost all gone; it's like he doesn't care any more whether he wakes up tomorrow..." She paused closing her eyes, fighting back her tears. "What hurts is he won't talk about it. Won't tell me what his nightmares about or what happened…."

Pam fell silent. Bill just sat there, his concern growing two fold to see his friends hurting like they were. This incident on top of another painful time for the couple a few years before only made it harder to see. He had been just as excited as Ralph when the Kid told him Pam was pregnant only to be there four months later as a sounding board and a shoulder for his friend to lean on when she miscarried.

It made him angry inside, not understanding why they had to go through all this pain too. He wanted to fix it but, didn't know how.

"If it is any consolation Counselor he hasn't told me anything either about what happened in there." He looked toward the kitchen thinking for a second then back at Pam standing up. "Look why don't you get those munchkin burgers of yours ready and I will talk to the Kid OK?"

After a moment Pam nodded and standing up, followed Bill toward the kitchen. As they passed the through the dining room Bill stopped almost causing Pam to run into the back of him, Bill smiled an apology.

"He'll be OK Counselor, I promise he will," he said, even though his mind doubted it was true.

Pam looked up at him. "You shouldn't make promises you're not sure you can keep Bill."

Bill was startled for a second then quickly covered, knowing she didn't know his thoughts but was speaking of her own.

"It's one I plan on keeping Counselor, whatever it takes _WE_ are keeping this one. Whatever it takes."


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Ralph stood staring at the hot coals; he had overheard part of Pam's conversation with Bill. He could not stand knowing he was the cause of her pain, and it frustrated him because he did not know how to explain something he did not understand himself; something that he felt he should have gotten over by now, two months later, but it still plagued him.

That it was always on the edge of his consciousness to a point that he could not stay in his office at school for more than five minutes before he felt like the walls where closing in.

He could not tell her about his nightmares because he could feel panic and fear rising in him at the mere thought of them when he was awake. Ralph could not explain to her why certain fabrics made his skin crawl, or he how could not wear a watch because the touch against his skin reminded him of the restraints Striegel used on him before placing him in the room.

Ralph absentmindedly rubbed the slightly visible scares on his wrist as his mind reviewed the event that still haunted him. Most of it was vague images of finding himself on a table with restraints. He had struggled to get free of the restraints, but they cut into his skin the more he struggled against them. He remembered seeing various people that his drugged state did not recognize, that he only later remembered as Striegel. The deranged doctor seemed to enjoy laughing at him as he tormented his unwilling patient both physically or mentally...

Ralph quickly shook the memories away. He didn't want them, hated how they came back to haunt him when he least expected them to. He felt useless to stop them, and unable to control how simple words, sounds or images would bring a memory of his time in captivity rushing to the front of his mind.

It happened just a few days ago after school. He was waiting for Bill and had just shut the door to his office when he heard through an open window a car with techno music blaring in the parking lot.

Suddenly he was in Striegel prison, and the music surrounded him and he tried to shut it out along with the images and colors that came at him from all sides by making himself as small as he could in the corner of the room.

Then the music stopped, and when he opened his eyes, he was back in the office huddled in the corner like some frightened animal. A glance at his watch showed an hour had passed. He made his way to the couch in his office and collapsed on it. The idea he had lost an hour frightened him. Lying there he thought of the "what-ifs": what if he had been in a class, or driving. He shuddered at the thought and he decided he could not do his job anymore, what good was he if he blacked out in a classroom, did this and had no memory besides the flashback of what happened.

He had still been on the couch when a knock at the door startled him and he let out a shout. His answer was Bill shouting for him to open up. Ralph quickly got up and opened the door before his friend could break it in, explaining to Bill that he had been asleep. The agent though skeptical given Ralph's complexion, believed him much to Ralph's relief.

--------------------------------------------

Bill stood just inside the back door watching Ralph through the screen thinking over what Pam had said and his own observations, hating himself for not seeing all the signs that where clearly in front of him. Or maybe, he did see them and chose to ignore them.

Bill looked down at the business card in his hand. One of the "head shrinks" as he called them at the office had given it to him over a month ago and he later found it and stuck it in his wallet. He did not even know why he did, because he had laughed at the man who gave it to him.

-----------

_Bill flipped open the file on his desk when a knock came at his office door, He looked up as a man about his age leaned in through the half open door asking if he could come in. Bill recognized him as one of the psychologists assigned to Striegel's case to work up a profile of the man. Though Bill did not understand why when one could tell Striegel was as far from normal as Pluto was to the sun._

"_Come in, Marshall. I didn't think they let you people out of the padded offices except for reviews."_

"_They do let us out every now and then Maxwell," Marshall laughed._

_Bill laughed too then asked why the man was there. "I know you haven't come to shrink my head, so why are you here?" _

"_I wanted to give you this" Marshall reached into his pocket pulling out a card handing it to Bill. _

"_What do I need your card for?" Bill asked confused as to why the man would give him his business card._

"_It's not for you, but for Mr. Hinkley." _

"Ralph_? Why would he need your card? He's fine" Bill tried to hand the card back but Marshall wouldn't take it. Instead he took a seat in front of Bill's desk, annoying Bill some that the man assumed he was welcome._

"_Maxwell as you know I have been assigned to draw up a profile on Dr. Striegel, to go with the charges they are bringing against him." _

_Bill nodded "What does that have to do with Ralph? You already talked to him and he says he doesn't remember a thing." _

_Marshall leaned forward in his chair "I have interviewed your friend, read your report and the reports of the other agents at the scene, especially those detailing with the room where Mr. Hinkley was kept and the injuries he received. Now I am going to be very honest with you Agent Maxwell, blunt even. Most victims of trauma like the kind your friend experienced, don't come out totally unscathed."_

"_But I just saw him this morning; he was fine…"_

"_I am not talking physically, but mentally, emotionally. You see trauma has many effects, It can shatter a person's beliefs and assumptions about life, it challenges their ability to handle life and tears apart everything they believed in their world as a just and orderly place to live. It alters how they see themselves. Before the trauma, the person might have seen himself or herself as rational, strong, take-charge, and in control. Then something happens to change that…"_

"_Like what happened to Ralph?"_

"_Yes, and it steals from them, Maxwell, takes away their sense of well-being, security, and safety. What they thought was predictable no longer is, with no warning their world turns wild, out of control, crazy…"_

"_Crazy!! Ralph's not crazy, sure he has been through a lot but nothing he can't handle, He's fine…emotionally… _and_… physically…"_

"_For now." _

_Bill's eyes narrowed at the man sitting across from him he was getting real annoyed with the man. "What's that supposed to mean?" _

_Marshall leaned back in his chair "Have you ever heard of post-traumatic stress disorder?"_

"_Sure that's the thing people get when they have been in war or something..." _

"_Or something…"_

"_But he hasn't been in a war, only locked in a room by some crazy lunatic with a power trip. You need to be analyzing Striegel... not wasting your time labeling people crazy who aren't…"_

"_Agent Maxwell, I am not saying your friend is crazy. You see the brain is like a video camera, recording everything, not only what it sees and hears but what it feels. And those memories and experience if not addressed properly can build up. It like a pressure cooker, you have to let the pressure off slowly and at the right times, if you wait to long it will explo…." Marshall paused realizing the agent was through listening to what he had to say. "Look all I am saying is your friend, Mr. Hinkley, he is going to need help to deal with what happened, and until he understands that and those close to him see that and stop denying it he is not going to get it."_

"_He is fine; it's been three weeks since Striegel took him. The Kid is in good spirits despite everything, and he doesn't need a head shrink to tell him how he should or should not feel and once they lock Striegel up for good he can put it totally behind him." _

"_OK, but let me ask you this: is Mr. Hinkley still in the hospital?"_

"_You know very well he is...and you probably even know he gets out this afternoon. So what are you getting at? "_

"_And you or his wife has been with him the whole time?" _

_Bill liked this man less and less, and had had enough of his drivel egghead stuff. Post-tram... whatever. Ralph was dealing with what happened fine and he would snap back like he always did. "So what's your point Marshall?"_

"_What is he going to do when he has to face the real world outside that hospital, and you or his wife are not there to help out all the time?" _

_That was it, enough was enough, Bill thought standing up from his chair, first the man says Ralph is crazy, and then tells him he wasn't going to be around to help. He had always been there when the Kid needed it and he wasn't going to bail on him now. _

"_You think spending 15 minutes makes you an expert on the Kid. I have known Ralph for 13 years and know him better than you do. All you know about him is what you read on some piece of paper, or some report a snot nose kid probably wrote out so he could get a gold star." Bill gruffly told the man. "Now this conversation is over. I think you know the way out," Bill finished glaring at the man who finally backed off leaving the room. _

_Bill sat down at his desk. After running a hand over his face he picked up the card. "Yeah, he needs your kind of help like I need a…" Bill smirked glancing at his watch. "Damn," He cursed under his breath when he saw that he was going to be late to meet Pam so they could get Ralph together. He grabbed his keys and coat, starting to throw the card away but instead stuffed it in his coat pocket as left the office._

-----------

Now Bill stood watching his friend being consumed by the very thing he denied would happen. Bill replaced the card back in his shirt pocket and stepped out on to the patio noticing Ralph tense up then relax as he stepped closer.

"You shouldn't sneak up on people Bill. You could get hurt that way," Ralph said not turning around.

"Only if your wearing the suit, which I see your not."

"Lucky for you," Ralph remarked sarcastically, picking up a poker to move the hot coals around.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It… means Bill…" Ralph started stabbing the fire then put the poker down before turning around to face Bill "That I don't need you second guessing me, protecting me like I am some kind of glass doll that is going to shatter if some one sneezes in my direction. I feel like you're smothering me with your concern..."

"I'm not smoth…"

"What do you call talking to my wife about me behind my back Bill…"

The agent did a double take at the tone of Ralph's voice. "Now hold it right there Kid…" Bill said as he glanced over his shoulder toward the kitchen then back at Ralph "When did we go from being grown adults to the playground? No one was talking behind anybody's back. Now how much did you hear… "

"Forget it," Ralph shook his head and turned back to the grill crossing his arms, suppressing the anger and frustration he felt rising inside and it confused him cause he shouldn't feel like that. He knew Bill and Pam had only been talking about him cause they where concerned.

"No," Bill stated more harshly than he intended and walked to the other side of the grill so that he was opposite his friend. "I won't forget it Ralph. Now something is bothering you and I want to know what it is."

Ralph, subconsciously sensing danger, picked up the poker again holding it to his side tightly. "I said forget it, it's nothing, I'm just tired," _Yeah tired_, he thought to himself, _tired of feeling on edge all the time, tired of feeling lost, not human, like I'm no longer in control and trapped_.

When Bill saw Ralph pick up the poker he recognized the stance Ralph was taking, he frowned. The Kid had been put on the defensive and Bill backed off some calming himself before continuing. The last thing he wanted to do was make Ralph feel threatened.

"It's not nothing, not if you are accusing me of something…or if it has you so flustered you're not thinking straight. The Counselor is concerned about you, we all are…"

"Why is she or you worried, I'm fine," Ralph said clenching his jaw and the poker a little tighter turning his knuckles white while he stared at the coals. Bill didn't seem to notice and kept going...

"No you're not Kid."

"Says who?"

"Says who…Kid just about everyone who is close to you like the Counselor and I are. Villacana says so, Cyler, even some of the teachers at school mentioned something to me - and you know they're usually tight-lipped around me, even now. Something is wrong and it is plain as day even if you don't want to see it."

"I told you…I'm _fine_."

"You're fine huh… then look me in the face and tell me you're fine."

Ralph looked up then averted his eyes "Everything is fine, I'm just tir...

"Tired I know," Bill finished for him "If nothing is wrong then answer me this: are you resigning from Whitney?"

"Yes ... well maybe ... I don't know," he said, not sure of himself.

Even though Bill had heard it from Pam it still stunned him for a second. Clearing his throat Bill decided to stop stepping around the issue and just ask.

"Ralph what's going on?"

Ralph simply shrugged "I just needed a change."

Bill couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Kid you just became head chief over at the school. It's what you always wan..."

"Things change Bill, people change."

"That may be so..."

"Stop it!" Ralph growled cutting Bill off. He was seething, all the anger, frustration, pain from everything that happened boiling inside. "I change Bill," Ralph was swinging the poker around to emphasize the point he was making. Though the poker nearly hit Bill on a few passes the agent stood his ground waiting Ralph out. He knew that his friend was upset and in the past he just had to let the man vent, and knew that was what the Kid was doing now.

"It's _MY CHOICE, MY LIFE_ and no one can take that away…_ IS_ going to take that way. Not Striegel, not you not anybody!!" In one last bit of blind anger he lifted the poker over his head and brought it down... only to be stopped mid-swing.

The sudden stop was like someone had poured a bucket of cold water on him, putting out the fire that burned inside. That fire was replaced by the cold chill that ran down his spine as he looked wide-eyed in shock at Bill, who had the same expression, and was holding the opposite end of the poker - where it had stopped inches from the agent's head.

Ralph paled as a range of thoughts going through his head, the last being the fact if he had been wearing the suit...

Ralph let the object go quickly, staggering back some before turning to the side as he felt a wave of nausea hit him. He leaned forward his hands on his knees, waiting for the feeling to pass, but felt as though the world was growing dim around him. Bill, fearing his friend was going to pass out, quickly grabbed a chair, placing it behind Ralph before gently nudging the man to sit.

Ralph sat leaning forward in the chair holding his head in his hands while the nausea passed. Bill knelt so he was eye level next to Ralph when they both heard Pam gasp from the door.

"Bill, what happened?"

Ralph quickly looked up at his friend, pleading with his eyes not to tell her. Bill stood up. "Uh... well... the Kid here got a headache and felt a little woozy…Can you get some water?"

Pam looked between the two, knowing something more than Ralph getting lightheaded had happened. "Sure, Bill," she said as she turned back to the kitchen. Bill hated lying to the Counselor, what made it worse was Ralph had told him to.

Pam came out and knelt next to her husband, handing him the glass and some aspirin.

"Thanks honey," Ralph said softly taking the items from her then returned the glass when he was done with it before leaning forward once again on his knees, holding his head and looking at the ground.

Pam stood up, worry on her face, as she turned to Bill a question in her eyes that he understood. She was asking if it was just a headache. The agent answered her question with a shake of his head, that it wasn't only a headache like he said before.

Pam frowned, not understanding why Bill had lied about it, and then realized Ralph must have told his friend to cover for her husband. That stung hard and hurt her that whatever was wrong had driven her husband to the state he was in at that moment that he couldn't talk to her about it.

Bill saw the hurt in her eyes and tried to say something, but Pam stopped him with a look that said "help him - _please_," then turned walking back to the kitchen, telling the two men the meat should be ready in a minute.

Bill knelt down so he was eye-level again with Ralph once the patio door was closed.

"Kid…"

"Don't Bill…"

"What…" The agent asked confused by what the Kid meant.

"Tell me... I know. I should have told her the truth."

"She's your wife Kid and she's scared…"

Ralph looked at his friend "And tell her what Bill? That I nearly killed my friend in a fit of blind rage?"

"For starters yeah…¨

¨I can´t Bill.¨

¨What do you mean you can´t?¨

Ralph leaned back into the chair running a hand through his hair. ¨'Cause how can I explain something I don´t understand myself,¨ Ralph sighed looking down at his hands. ¨ I don´t know what is going on. It's like I don´t know who I am anymore. It scares the hell out of me, Bill, and I know I am hurting Pam. But … But... I don´t know…¨

Bill lowered his head looking at the grass between his feet. He knew Ralph was being honest with him this time, that the Kid truly didn't understand what was happening. Bill leaned back on his heels some, not knowing what to do, then remembered the card and took it out showing it to Ralph.

Ralph looked at the card. ¨What's this?¨ he questioned.

"It's your ticket out of this mess."

Ralph took the card and read it ¨ I don't need a _psychologist._Bill.¨

¨Look, what you've been through was hard, and this guy said …¨

"What, now you're talking to this guy about me,¨ Ralph stood up towering over Bill who quickly stood and backed up, chastising himself for not anticipating how Ralph might react, though Ralph erupting into another fit of rage would have been down at the bottom of the list if he had thought about it.

"They're my problems Bill, not yours to go talk to any Joe off the street…what did you do, sit around the table and talk about ol´crazy Ralph, who can't handle a little…."

"Ralph, COOL IT," Bill shouted, the fierceness in his tone stopping Ralph cold. The two men stood facing each other.

When Bill was sure the younger man wasn't going to say anything more he continued "First of all neither I, or Pam, think you are crazy. Hurting and in pain yes, as anybody who has been through the crap you were put through would be. Secondly, that guy came to me, not me to him. About a month ago, the day you got out of the hospital, he was assigned to the case and had read all the reports on it. Said you where going to need help to deal with what happened."

"I have dealt with it…" Ralph said dismissively.

"No you haven't Ralph. If you had you would not have almost cleaned my clock with the poker a few minutes ago, and we wouldn't be having this conversation. Kid you need help, and it is obvious you need more than I or the Counselor can give."

"So your giving up on me, is that it? I hit a rough patch and it is 'so long pal,' because if that is the way it you can leave now."

Ralph's comment hurt Bill more than the younger man could ever know. "Kid… I would never do that to you, Not 12 years ago when we first got the suit, not 7 years ago when the green guys gave us… that choice, dream, or whatever you want to call it with the suit."

"Ralph?" Pam called through the screen door interrupting Bill.

"Yeah?" Ralph answered turning to Pam

"You have a phone call."

"Take a…" He paused for a second. Ralph didn't want to have this conversation any more with Bill. In fact he wanted it to all just go away "No wait I'll get it. Tell them I will be right there, " he finished and turned back to Bill.

Ralph sighed, running a hand through his blond curls. "Bill, I'm sorry for saying you were giving up on me, I know you wouldn't do that. " He crossed his arms in front of himself looking at the ground. "I just…I'm going to be OK, it just has been all the stress of getting back to normal after missing work for a month, then having to testify, and seeing Striegel again. But now that Striegel is put away everything is going to be OK."

Ralph placed a hand on his friends shoulder to emphasize the point and Bill copied him.

"OK, Kid, whatever you say" Bill smiled accepting the apology, but on the inside he couldn't really bring himself to believe it was that easy.

"So you still staying for dinner?" Ralph asked walking towards the house.

"What, leave and miss out on the munchkin burgers" Bill said sarcastically.

"I heard that,"came Pam's reply from the kitchen.

"I think I'd better stay of the kitchen if I want to live long enough to see dinner," Bill said stopping as they reached the door.

"Smart man," Ralph chuckled.

"You could always go home Bill," Pam stated coming to the screen, somewhat relieved to see her husband laughing.

"Wouldn't dream of it sweetheart," Bill said with one of his biggest grins he could give.

Ralph laughed at the banter between the two. "And you can join him Ralph if you keep it up," Pam said turning to him.

"Hey" Ralph protested. "What did I do?"

"You said you were going to do all the work, so I could relax." she leaned against the door post pouting. Pam still hurt some from earlier so her pout was not totally for play.

Ralph came up to Pam, pulling her out onto the patio and wrapped his arms around her sensing her comment wasn't only for his promise to do all the work. "I could always make it up to you later," he smiled with a mischievous look. When she smiled back he knew she wasn't mad at him anymore, even though she hit him playfully on the shoulder telling him he wasn't going to get off that easily.

"Is that a promise…" He countered back with a playful growl.

"Don't let me stop you two..." Bill interrupted the play. "I'm only the agent starving over here."

Pam chuckled. "It's a promise," she said to Ralph.

"OK, " Ralph accepted the offer and bent over to give his wife a kiss.

¨Ralph!¨ She said blushing starting back to the kitchen then remembering the phone call turned back, " Ralph, the phone…."

"Oh yeah I forg…." Ralph started

"No...No... It's OK" She stopped him "It was Mr. Knight, he couldn't wait, and left a message."

Ralph knew why his former principal and current superintendent was calling, but asked anyway "What did he want?"

Pam looked between the two men "He says he needs your answer when you meet with him on Monday. Ralph I…"

"Pam I made my decision and that is final," Ralph looked at the two people he would do anything for, even go to the ends of the Earth if he had to. He could see the distress on their faces and knew it was because of him.

"Is it final, Kid," Bill asked not wanting Ralph to make what he saw as a big mistake he would later regret.

Ralph nodded looking at the ground. After a second of thought he looked back at the two "Yep," then he smiled "I'm not quitting."

"What!" The two exclaimed at the same time their excitement showing

"I said I am not quitting," he said trying to keep his face straight "Unless you want me to."

As he said that, a wide grin spread across his face as he lost the battle of suppressing it. Pam gave Ralph as kiss out of excitement and Bill patted his friend on the back. "Now let's eat. I'm starving," Ralph finished holding the door open for the two to enter.

"Best idea I've heard all day Kid," Bill stated taking the door from Ralph as the younger man started to enter.

"I have a few Bill ... ideas that is."

"Yeah, yeah...the jury's still out on that Ralph," Bill groaned rolling his eyes as Ralph laughed some before letting it die and looked at his friend solemnly.

"Everything is going to be OK Bill, I promise."

"Sure it will be," Bill nodded noticing Ralph didn't say he himself was going to be OK. Ralph smiled and went inside leaving the man alone on the patio. Bill let out a heavy sigh running his hands over his face. "I sure hope so Kid, for your sake I sure hope so."

FINIS

Hope you all enjoyed that little romp through GAH land...I know I did...Please review


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